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Telegram’s CEO Charged In France, Banned From Leaving Territory

Pavel Durov TechCrunch

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Eireann Van Natta General Assignment Reporter
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Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov was charged by French prosecutors for the alleged illegal use of his platform on Wednesday.

He faces six charges and has been ordered to remain in French territory, Politico reported. He has been detained in the country since Saturday after being arrested in Paris at Le Bourget Airport.

Durov’s bail is set at 5 million euros — or $5.56 million, CNN reported. Additionally, Durov must report to the French police station two times each week, according to CNN.

Durov was sent to a Paris court for questioning following his release from the custody of French law enforcement, prosecutors told CNN. (RELATED: REPORT: Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Arrested At French Airport)

France’s Tribunal Judiciare De Paris announced Durov’s 12 charges pertaining to Telegram’s moderation policies on Monday according to a press release. The document listed allegations that Telegram was complicit in illegal activities, among them the alleged distribution of child pornography and “organized fraud.”

He is also been charged for allegedly refusing to cooperate with authorities.

The arrest of Durov prompted concerns over freedom of expression and privacy rights. George Washington University law professor  Jonathan Turley warned against a potential threat against free speech in an interview Monday with Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt.

Turley argued that the move was “part of a global effort to control speech” and that Durov was facing investigation over the alleged “misconduct of others using his site.” He compared it to arresting the CEO of AT&T for the mob employing telephones.

Telegram’s platform has hundreds of millions users world wide, according to estimates obtained by USA Today. Durov fled Russia in 2014 after he refused to hand VKontakte user data to the Russian government, Reuters reported.

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