Why Telegram billionaire Pavel Durov’s arrest risks fanning diplomatic tensions among France, Russia, and the UAE
Telegram has had a solid 11-year run, notching up nearly a billion users. Its founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, has become nothing short of a tech icon in certain circles—a Russian-born Mark Zuckerberg, if you will.
While Telegram has grown incredibly over the years, the elusive platform has also earned a bad reputation with governments for its lax content-moderation efforts and its hand in supposedly fueling terrorism, disinformation, and propaganda.
Those accusations came to a head this weekend when Durov was arrested by French authorities investigating the platform’s moderation of alleged criminal activity.
Since his arrest at Paris’s Le Bourget Airport, the political stakes surrounding Durov’s detainment have increased. Arresting the CEO of one of the world’s most widely used instant-messaging platforms has prompted reactions worldwide—some favorable, others not so much.
The Russian-born billionaire, who holds UAE and French citizenship as per Telegram’s website, has been based in Dubai since 2017, a few years after he left Russia following pressure from the Kremlin’s security services.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who supposedly uses Telegram frequently along with other top French officials, brushed off claims that Durov’s arrest was politically charged. The probe into Telegram’s violations was part of a broader investigation that wasn’t targeting the messaging platform alone, he said in a post on X.
Fellow tech billionaire and self-proclaimed free-speech advocate Elon Musk responded to Macron’s post asking for more details on Durov’s arrest.
I have seen false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov.
France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so.
In a state governed by the rule of law,…
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 26, 2024
Meanwhile, the UAE has asked for access to the Telegram founder, saying it’s “closely following the case.” In the past, the country has granted citizenship to a select few high-profile individuals, despite having a stricter policy for non-locals.
#UAE closely following case of Pavel Durov
The UAE is closely following the case of its citizen Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, who was arrested by the French authorities in Paris–Le Bourget Airport, emphasizing that the UAE has submitted a request to the Government of the…
— Afra Al Hameli (@AfraMalHameli) August 26, 2024
Russia’s embassy in France is also asking for access to Durov (it’s unclear if he still holds Russian citizenship), although the country’s sentiment toward the billionaire is mixed. The Kremlin appears to be treading cautiously as the extent of the accusations against Durov remains unknown.
“We haven’t heard any official statements. Before I can say anything at all about this, we need some clarity,” a Kremlin spokesperson told the media.
Yet experts on Russian state TV and other news outlets have slammed the arrest. Durov supporters have staged protests outside the French embassy in Moscow, calling for the billionaire tech star’s release. On Tuesday, a high-ranking Russian official said the U.S. was trying to control Telegram by using France as its proxy.
Russia had previously tried to ban Telegram because it feared that national security information was being shared on the platform. But that hasn’t stopped Russians from using it.
Part of the reason Russia is staking a claim in the situation is Telegram’s prominent role in the Ukraine war since early 2022. The messaging app has served as a means of communication for both countries involved in the war. Telegram has had different parts to play. It’s helped people learn about what’s happening on the ground ahead of news reports, but it’s also a hotspot for Russian state propaganda and misinformation.
The encrypted chat platform has been in the crosshairs of governments for various reasons. For instance, Germany issued Telegram $5 million in fines in 2022 for not complying with its local law, while Brazil suspended the app when it refused to suspend a far-right congressman’s account.
Telegram didn’t immediately return Fortune’s request for comment. The company said in an X post on Sunday that the claims against Durov were “absurd” and that he had “nothing to hide.”
The Telegram chief’s fate hangs in the balance until Wednesday, the deadline for the prosecutor’s office to either release or charge Durov. Both tech communities and governments with skin in the game will keep an eagle eye on what happens in the meantime.
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