AFP: France has continued the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov

In France, law enforcement officials extended the detention of Telegram founder Pavel Durov for another 48 hours.

A source close to the investigation told AFP about this, Euronews reports.

According to another source close to the investigation, the Paris investigating judge in charge of the judicial inquiry extended his police custody on Sunday night.

Because local law limits detention for questioning to a maximum of 96 hours, the judge has two days to either formally charge Durov or release him. French prosecutors are expected to issue a press statement on the case today.

French investigators were surprised that Durov, knowing that he was wanted in France, still decided to come to Paris.

The case of Durov

On the night of August 25, French media reported the arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov at Paris Le Bourget airport after he flew there from Azerbaijan on his private plane. He was accompanied by a bodyguard and an unnamed woman.

In France, Durov was declared wanted just a few minutes before his arrival. He has been charged with complicity in drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud because he refused to heavily moderate content on Telegram and to cooperate with authorities in disclosing information about users suspected of fraud, drug distribution and child pornography, among other things.

In 2021, Russian Pavlo Durov received French citizenship, so he will be tried in France as a citizen of this country. Recently, he lived mainly in the United Arab Emirates.

Yesterday evening , Telegram published a statement about the detention of its founder, Pavel Durov. It claims that the messenger complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act, and Durov himself has "nothing to hide."

Telegram says that their moderation meets industry standards and is "constantly improving."

"It is absurd to claim that the platform or its owner is responsible for its abuse," the statement added.

Regarding the arrest of Durov and the regulation of Telegram, Ukraine is "for now choosing a wait-and-see tactic," Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, said in a comment to Radio Liberty.

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine is not yet preparing a decision to close the social network in Ukraine. Although the Ukrainian authorities are still inclined to block Telegram is possible if its administration continues to ignore the requests of the Ukrainian side.