Pavel Durov Arrested Unauthorized Cryptology Services: French Authorities

After French authorities got here underneath fireplace from the crypto neighborhood and free speech absolutists together with Elon Musk and others, the federal government mentioned Pavel Durov has been arrested for cybercrime investigation with allegations of offering “cryptology” providers and instruments.

A assertion launched by the Tribunal Judiciaire de Paris on Monday, mentioned Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of prompt messaging and platform Telegram, was arrested on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at Le Bourget Airport on the outskirts of Paris and subsequently taken into police custody at 8 p.m.

It additional clarified: “This measure comes within the context of a judicial investigation opened on July 8, 2024, following a preliminary investigation initiated by Part J3 – JUNALCO (Struggle in opposition to Cybercrime) of the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Workplace.”

The assertion claimed {that a} judicial investigation had been launched in opposition to an unnamed particular person, “on prices of… offering cryptology providers geared toward guaranteeing confidentiality with no licensed assertion, offering a cryptology instrument that not solely ensures authentication or integrity monitoring with out prior declaration, [and] importing a cryptology instrument that ensures authentication or integrity monitoring with out prior declaration.”

Not solely this, however different prices in opposition to Durov embody complicity in “possession of pornographic photos of minors” and “laundering the proceeds derived from crimes and crimes dedicated by organized teams.”

President Emmanuel Macron additionally went to X and claimed: “The arrest of the president of Telegram on French territory came about as a part of an ongoing judicial investigation. That is under no circumstances a political resolution. It’s as much as the judges to determine.”

You may have details about the French suite with the arrest of Pavel Durov.

La France is plus that there’s an attachment to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation and to the entrepreneurial spirit. Elle le restera.

Dans un État de droit,…

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 26, 2024

The assertion revealed that Durov’s investigation could possibly be postponed till August 28.

The arrest has been criticized by the crypto neighborhood as an assault on ‘freedom of expression’ and Durov has discovered assist from Elon Musk, Balaji Srinivasan, Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin and TRON founder Justin Solar.