Telegram CEO’s lawyer dismisses France probe as ‘absurd.’
The lawyer representing Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who is being investigated in France over the messaging app, has termed the probe “totally absurd”.
A French judge has formally put Durov under investigation on suspicion of complicity in allowing illicit transactions, child pornography, and drug trafficking on the platform. He is also being investigated for alleged money laundering and non-cooperation with authorities.
Durov’s lawyer David-Olivier Kaminski said it was unreasonable to believe the head of a social media firm could be directly or indirectly involved in criminal activities not concerning him.
According to reports, Kaminski stated Telegram fully complies with European digital rules. Being placed under formal investigation does not imply guilt in France and probes can last years before court action or being dropped.
French President Emmanuel Macron, an avid Telegram user, has maintained the investigation was a judicial and not political decision. Durov was granted French citizenship in 2021 under a special procedure for prominent individuals.
The case has sparked a debate about balancing freedom of expression and law enforcement on digital platforms used by close to a billion people.
