Pavel Durov Arrested for Unauthorized Cryptology Services: French Authorities

After French authorities came under fire from the crypto community and free speech absolutists including Elon Musk and others, the government said Pavel Durov has been arrested for cybercrime investigation involving allegations of providing “cryptology” services and tools.

A statement released by the Tribunal Judiciaire de Paris on Monday, said that Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of instant messaging and platform Telegram, was arrested at Le Bourget airport in the outskirts of Paris on Saturday, the 24th of August 2024 and was then taken into police custody at 8 pm.

It further clarified, “This measure comes in the context of a judicial investigation opened the 8th of July 2024, following a preliminary inquiry initiated by Section J3 – JUNALCO (Fight against Cybercrime) of the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office.”

The statement claimed that judicial investigation was started against person unnamed, “on charges of … providing cryptology services aiming to ensure confidentiality without certified declaration, providing a cryptology tool not solely ensuring authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration, [and] importing a cryptology tool ensuring authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration.”

Not just this, but other charges listed against Durov included complicity in “possessing pornographic images of minors” and “laundering of the proceeds derived from organized group’s offences and crimes.”

The statement revealed that Durov’s investigation can be held until August 28.

President Emmanuel Macron, also took to X and claimed, “The arrest of Telegram’s president on French territory took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. This is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to decide”.

I have seen false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov.

France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so.

In a state governed by the rule of law,…

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 26, 2024

The arrest has been criticized by the crypto community as an attack on ‘freedom of expression’ and Durov has found support from Elon Musk, Balaji Srinivasan, Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, TRON founder Justin Sun.