Russian Tech Mogul Pavel Durov Faces Legal Troubles in France

By Alexander Marrow and Mark Trevelyan
LONDON (Reuters) – Days after gunmen killed 145 concert-goers at a venue near Moscow in March, allegations emerged that the assailants had been recruited on Telegram. The Kremlin issued a stern warning to its founder, Pavel Durov.

“We would expect more attention from Pavel Durov, because this unique and phenomenal resource … is increasingly becoming a tool in the hands of terrorists,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Shift in Moscow’s Stance

Five months later, as French prosecutors pursue an investigation into Durov over the use of Telegram for fraud, drug trafficking, and organized crime, Moscow’s public stance has changed. Some Russians now hail Durov as a hero of free speech. Peskov stated that the case against him should “not turn into political persecution.”

Peskov noted, “We know that the president of France (Emmanuel Macron) has denied any connection with politics, but on the other hand, certain accusations are being made. We will see what happens next.”

Allegations of Western Influence

Some Russian lawmakers allege, without evidence, that the case against Durov has been orchestrated by Washington. A source at the Paris prosecutor’s office said the investigation had no connection to the U.S., and Macron had no prior warning of the arrest.

Leonid Slutsky, a pro-Kremlin parliamentary leader, wrote on Telegram, “Pavel Durov remains a hostage of the ‘dictatorship of democracy’ of the collective West.”

Security Concerns

The situation provides Russia an opportunity to argue that the West’s claims of upholding free speech disguise a vengeful desire to undermine Russia. Ksenia Ermoshina from the Citizen Lab stated that Russia’s strong reaction reflects security concerns due to Telegram’s use in military communications.

Ermoshina said, “If Durov is accused by the French government and he is in the hands of French justice, they are afraid that he might give access to his servers.”

A lawyer for Durov described suggestions that a social network head is responsible for criminal acts on the platform as “absurd” and noted that Telegram complies with EU laws.

Durov’s Troubled Relationship with Authorities

Durov, 39, has not always been a favored figure in Russia. His first major venture, a Russian Facebook called VKontakte (VK), became a platform for opposition activists opposing President Putin. Durov refused to comply with demands to shut down late opposition figure Alexei Navalny’s anti-corruption blog.

In 2013, Russia’s FSB security service requested VK data from Ukrainians protesting against the then-pro-Russian president in Kyiv. Durov refused, stating it would be a “betrayal of our Ukrainian users.” He was subsequently ousted from his own company and forced to leave Russia.

Durov launched Telegram in 2013, which now has nearly 1 billion users. However, Russian authorities pursued him again following a suicide bombing on the St Petersburg metro in 2017, claiming militants used Telegram to communicate.

The FSB demanded Durov “hand over the keys” to information on the app, which he argued violated Russians’ constitutional right to privacy.

For two years starting in May 2018, Roskomnadzor attempted to block Telegram, but these efforts were foiled by anti-censorship measures. Since then, Telegram has grown popular among dissidents and bloggers, particularly regarding the Ukraine war.

Public Reaction

On the streets of Moscow, residents are closely following Durov’s case. Irina, a middle-aged woman, expressed concern over his arrest, saying, “If this is such a set-up on the part of Macron, then this is beyond the pale.”
Mark, a young man, commented, “This is politics. They’ve arrested a Russian billionaire in France. Why not? It’s beneficial for them; it’s a blow to Russia.”