Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, has appeared before a Paris judge for the first time as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into allegations that the platform enabled illegal activities, according to a report by AFP.
Durov was seen walking into the Paris courthouse at 10 a.m local time with his attorneys, David-Olivier Kaminsky and Christopher Ingrain.
#Paris.In silence from the media,Pavel #Durov of #Telegram was questioned in court about his potential involvement in #criminal activities, carried out through the use of the messenger.With the lawyers David-Olivier #Kaminski,Christophe #Ingrain, he refused to comment pic.twitter.com/ZO4R6TYfKA
— Donato Yaakov Secchi (@doyaksec) December 7, 2024
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In his interview with reporters, Durov expressed his confidence in the French judicial system but declined to comment further on the intricate details of the proceedings.
Durov's Arrest and the latest development of the case
Durov was arrested on the 24 August at Paris’ Le Bourget airport and detained for four days before being charged with offenses linked to organized crime.
Prosecutors found Durov guilty of negligence as the company failed to take sufficient action to eradicate the distribution of illegal content and criminal activity on the Telegram platform.
During his first interview with local media, Durov expressed his surprise that he was being held accountable for user-published content. He also described the French approach as ill-advised.
However, Durov admitted that the increasing popularity of Telegram had made the platform easier for criminals to misuse the platform.
Durov was eventually released after a $6 million bail but was prohibited from leaving France until March 2025.
Till date, the French authorities remain secretive about the development of the case, making many wonder what progress had been made in the past 4 months. But if Durov is found guilty, he could reportedly face up to 10 years in prison with a fine of $550,000.
Durov's arrest portrayed as a personal attack on the Web3 community
Many had viewed the legal actions against Durov as politically motivated rather than purely judicial.
In late August, Moscow made its first response to the case, calling Durov's arrest an attempt to intimidate Durov.
Telegram has been a key player in fostering communities within the cryptocurrency and broader Web3 ecosystem, known for its focus on privacy and security.
But French President Emmanuel Macron stepped forward to clarify that Durov's arrest was not a political decision but part of a judicial investigation. Macron also stressed that France is committed to the freedom of expression and communication.
Durov's case had raised alarming similarities with the arrest of Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev. Observers have expressed that the arrest could also indicate a troubling assault on developers of privacy-preserving technologies.
Observers point to the outcome of Tornado Cash's legal saga for potential clues about Durov's fate. In November 2024, a U.S Appeals Court ruled that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) overstepped its authority by sanctioning Tornado Cash's immutable smart contracts, signaling a win for decentralization advocates.
Durov's fate remains unknown
It is still unknown whether Durov's case will follow the same trajectory. For now, it serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by privacy-centric platforms in an era of increasing regulation and government oversight.
All we know is that this legal battle could set a critical precedent for privacy-preserving technologies and their developers.
The court's decision will not just decide the fate of Telegram, it might also influence the trajectory of Web3 Technology innovation and digital privacy rights on a global scale.
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