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    Pavel Durov, Gründer und CEO des verschlüsselten Nachrichtendienstes Telegram, in Frankreich festgenommen


    Pavel Durov, Gründer und CEO des verschlüsselten Nachrichtendienstes Telegram, in Frankreich festgenommen

    https://www.tf1info.fr/justice-faits-divers/info-tf1-lci-le-fondateur-et-pdg-de-la-messagerie-cryptee-telegram-interpelle-en-france-2316072.html

    Von YourElectricityBill

    View 42 Comments

    42 Comments

    2. YourElectricityBill on

      >”Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the encrypted messaging service Telegram, was arrested around 8pm this Saturday evening as he got off his private jet on the tarmac at Le Bourget airport. Aged 39, this Franco-Russian was accompanied by his bodyguard and a woman.

      >The arrest was carried out by the gendarmes of the Air Transport Gendarmerie. Listed in the FPR (wanted persons file), Pavel Durov had arrived straight from Azerbaijan. He had a French search warrant issued by the OFMIN of the national directorate of the French judicial police issued on the basis of a preliminary investigation.

      >***Why was he under threat of a search warrant?***

      >Justice considers that the lack of moderation, cooperation with law enforcement and the tools offered by Telegram (disposable number, crypto, etc.) makes him an accomplice in drug trafficking, pedocriminal offences and fraud.

      >This search warrant was valid if, and only if, Pavel Durov was on national territory. “He made a blunder tonight. We don’t know why… Was this theft just a stopover? In any case, he’s in custody!”, a source close to the investigation told TF1-LCI. Since he knew he was persona non grata in France, Pavel Durov had been in the habit of travelling to the Emirates, the countries of the former USSR, South America… He travelled very little in Europe and avoided countries where Telegram is under surveillance.

      >***And now?***

      >Investigators from ONAF (National Anti-Fraud Office attached to the Customs Directorate) notified him and placed him in police custody. He should be presented to an investigating judge this Saturday evening before a possible indictment on Sunday for a multitude of offences: terrorism, narcotics, complicity, fraud, money laundering, receiving stolen goods, pedocriminal content, etc.

      >Pavel Durov will end up in pretrial detention, that’s for sure,” comments an investigator with TF1/LCI. “On his platform, he allowed an incalculable number of offenses and crimes to be committed for which he did nothing to moderate or cooperate,” analyzes a source close to the case.

      >His pretrial detention following his indictment is indeed beyond doubt. Pavel Durov, a billionaire, has substantial means to flee and his guarantees of representation will hardly convince the judges. A dragnet with international resonance.

      >For investigators, this dragnet with international resonance has various objectives. First, it allows them to kick the anthill, impress and dissuade the perpetrators of crimes and offenses who have, until now, exchanged freely on Telegram. Then, they aim to put pressure on European countries to increase joint work to force encrypted messaging to bend on terrorist cases.

      >Indeed, Telegram is a hive for criminal content. Right now, the platform is in the news with the illegal broadcasting of Ligue 1 matches. But on this encrypted messaging service, many accounts are used by organized crime. Beyond terrorism, the most dangerous pedophiles communicate on Telegram to exchange content. “For years, it has become THE number 1 platform for organized crime,” comments an investigator.”

      For non-french speakers

    4. YourElectricityBill on

      It’s odd to believe, but it seems that it’s true, it’s reported pretty much everywhere. He is blamed to be an accomplice to all criminal activities that happened on the platform.

    6. Dacadey on

      >Justice considers that the lack of moderation, cooperation with law enforcement and the tools offered by Telegram (disposable number, crypto, etc.) makes him an accomplice in drug trafficking, pedocriminal offences and fraud.

      That is a very stupid argument. That’s like accusing utensils stores of being accomplices in homicides because they sell kitchen knives.

      And especially the “lack of cooperation with law enforcement” – yeah, we get it that you would love to have backdoors in all messengers and spy on your citizens 24/7.

    7. YourElectricityBill on

      It’s funny considering that Durov was prosecuted both in Russia when he was the CEO of VK, and now in the west as the head of Telegram, both with the same accusations.

    8. labegaw on

      Absolutely insane to see the same people who shriek about “Net Neutrality” or Orban, supporting this kind of stuff.

      Europe is descending into CCP and Cuba territory.

      I suspect today’s reddit would consider Aaron Swartz a bad guy.

    9. EasternGuyHere on

      >Then, they aim to put pressure on European countries to step up joint work to force encrypted messaging to bend on terrorist cases. 

      >Indeed, Telegram is a hive of criminal content. Right now, the platform is in the news with the illegal broadcasting of Ligue 1 matches. But on this encrypted messaging service, many accounts are used by organized crime

      He thought he could run away from Major Gromov and preserve encrypted messaging, but **🇪🇺Ma**jor Gromontoui🇪🇺 he did not account for. /s

      It seems like this case against him was solely made because Europol wants to breach personal privacy like their colleagues did in both US and RU. He already lost VK in Russia due to FSB interference, now he made another successful product, and he may lose it in EU, fucking ironic mate.

    10. Double-Pea8151 on

      So because he doesn’t censor info and spy on us he has been arrested?. Fuck France. What the fuck is going on in the world… these governments need to burn

    11. Affectionate-Door205 on

      French constitution guarantees privacy of private correspondence

      Or does it?

    13. Ablomis on

      This some epic bs from french.
      Imagine US prosecuting Tim Cook because they don’t agree with Apple privacy policies.

    14. ErikBjare on

      This is actually insane. Would they arrest other founders/CEOs of companies that offer messaging with E2E encryption?

    17. DvD_Anarchist on

      Very bad, statists POS try to control everything. The arguments for the arrest warrant are stupid as hell, you could apply that to all banks too and close them since illegal activities find ways to use their services too.

    18. Kingsman-- on

      Chased off from Russia for not cooperating with the government, chased off from the US for the same reason, and finally arrested in France. These countries have too much in common

    19. RedDead707 on

      France/Germany and other major European countries are unfortunately going more and more the Russian way of handling things. Quite sad.

    21. Turkey28 on

      I better see mark zuckerburg in handcuffs the next time he goes overseas then

    22. poklane on

      Good, but given he’s also a Russian national I’m expecting the Russian government to arrest some random French journalist or whatever soon.

    26. TheCurry_Master on

      Europe is in the grip of totalitarianism. Big brother is watching. We enjoyed freedom for 74 years or so. These past 5 have been a deep slide into China-style censorship, false accusations, and policing of even our thoughts.

      If he has actually committed these crimes, and there is substantial evidence directly linking him to them, then he should expect to be punished just as any other person should.

      But the bigger picture is that this can be just one more case used to set a precedent for the surveillance of the everyday man or woman just living their lives. That’s the way I see Europe going. Orwellian to the max.

    27. sparkingloud on

      Why is Telegram the preferred platform for E2E encrypted messaging for criminals? What makes it different from Signal or WhatsApp…?

    29. Zealousideal-Win8379 on

      Europe is becoming a laughing stock. As a European it’s sad to see.

    30. RaymondLeggs on

      Draconian tactics for sure, they basically want to spy on everyone 24/7 which basically just drive criminal activities further underground, You shouldn’t make the CEO responsible for how people chose to use their product. By that logic If A new Gun manufacturer’s gun is used in a Schools shooting, the CEO is responsible and should be arrested for mass-murder. There will always be criminals, and spying on everyone will just create more criminals.

    31. UmpaLumpa328 on

      Apparently, freedom of speech is a threat to national security for states like France, since they use such repressive measures.

    32. WhiteGreenSamurai on

      Why do supposedly “free” countries seem to hate privacy so much?

    36. MeNamIzGraephen on

      Im my opinion – this isn’t a coincidence that he’s done so now. Russia is about to experience a massive shitstorm, so he’s safer in French custody.

    37. BlackDeath333 on

      Fuck that. It’s always “but but think of the children and it’s used by terrorist” talk to push mass surveillance

    38. AnimalPolitique222 on

      It is NOT a mistake. That’s quite obvious he wanted to be arrested. Surely he thinks he is not safe anymore in Azerbaijan. Since several years, he is avoiding all Europe (though there is a warrant only in France) and “comme par hasard” he would have made the mistake to land off in Le Bourget near Paris, really?

      He is also French. I don’t have any proof but my educated guess is: he prefers to be in jail in France than in Azerbaijan currently…

    41. Consistent-Height-75 on

      France should be cancelled, because the trees that grow in France produce oxygen! Terrorists and pedophiles breathe that oxygen, which makes the entire country of France a supporter of terrorism and pedophilia!

    42. toiletclogger2671 on

      so his crime is not spying on users. arrest whoever gave the order and let him rot forever

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