French investigative judges are due to decide later on Wednesday whether to place Russian-born Telegram boss Pavel Durov under formal investigation following his arrest as part of a probe into organised crime on the messaging app, APA reports citing Reuters.
Durov's detention as he landed at an airport near Paris on a private jet on Saturday evening has put the spotlight on the criminal liability of app providers and also triggered debate on where freedom of speech ends and enforcement of the law begins.
With close to 1 billion users, Telegram is particularly prominent in Russia, Ukraine and the republics of the former Soviet Union.
Being placed under formal investigation in France does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to trial. But it shows that judges consider there is enough to the case to proceed with the probe. Investigations can last years before being sent to trial or shelved.
Should Durov, who has been in police custody since his arrest, be placed under formal investigation, judges will also decide whether to put him in pretrial detention. One of the factors they will consider is whether he could try to flee.
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on TikTok
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on X
PHOTO - 
