However, the decision allowed the businessman to be released on bail on condition that he pay 5 million euros, report to police twice a week and not leave French territory.
Durov speaks at an event in California, USA in 2015. Photo: Getty
Investigation of multiple criminal offenses
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement that the judge found grounds to formally investigate Durov on all the charges that led to his arrest four days earlier.
These include suspicion of complicity in operating an online platform that enabled illegal transactions, child sexual abuse imagery, drug trafficking and fraud, as well as refusing to provide information to authorities, money laundering and providing cryptographic services to criminals.
Being placed under formal investigation in France does not mean guilt or necessarily lead to a trial, but it does mean that the judge believes there is enough evidence to proceed. Investigations can last for years before they are brought to trial or dropped.
Russian state news agency RIA published a video on Telegram showing Mr Durov, dressed in black, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, leaving the prosecutor's office and entering a waiting car.
Prosecutor Beccuau said Telegram had been used in various criminal cases and that "Telegram's near-total non-response to court requests" eventually caught the attention of the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor's office.
“Other French investigative agencies and prosecutors’ offices as well as many other partners within Eurojust, especially Belgian partners, have shared the same opinion” about Telegram’s non-compliance, Beccuau said.
That prompted the Paris prosecutor's organized crime office to open an investigation "into the possible criminal liability of the managers of this messaging service," she said in a statement.
Prosecutor Beccuau said the investigation began in February, with investigations conducted by the National Office for Minors, with the indictment opening in July.
Social media bosses have reason to worry.
Durov’s arrest has sparked a debate about where free speech ends and law enforcement begins. It also underscores the uneasy relationship between some countries and Telegram, which has nearly 1 billion users.
The case also serves as a warning to Big Tech companies that refusing to comply with authorities over alleged violations of the law on their platforms could result in the arrest of their platform owners.
In a statement on Monday, Telegram said it complies with European Union law and that its moderation practices are “within industry standards and are constantly improving,” adding: “It is absurd to suggest that a platform or its owners should be held responsible for abuse of that platform.”
In addition to Telegram, criminal activity also appears on many other social media platforms. Photo: Reuters
Durov's arrest has drawn criticism from social network X owner Elon Musk, who said freedom of speech in Europe was being violated, and Russia also called on French authorities to respect Durov's rights.
Nowadays, it is not difficult to find criminal activities such as fraud, child pornography, illegal trading or spreading false and even fabricated information on social networks, such as Facebook, TikTok and many other platforms.
The arrest of Durov, who holds dual French and Russian citizenship, has also had a major diplomatic impact, affecting relations between Paris and Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that relations between the two countries had hit an all-time low.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that Russia is ready to provide Durov with any necessary assistance because he is a Russian citizen, but that his French citizenship complicates the situation. Durov also holds a UAE passport.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who also uses the Telegram app, said Durov's arrest was "absolutely not a political decision", adding that France supports legitimate freedom of expression.
Huy Hoang (according to Reuters, France24, RIA)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/phap-chinh-thuc-buoc-toi-ceo-durov-cua-telegram-trong-vu-bat-giu-gay-tranh-cai-post309739.html
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