Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested in France

Background

Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of encrypted messaging app Telegram, was arrested in France on Saturday, according to local reports.

French police arrested Durov at an airport near Paris under a warrant for offenses related to the popular messaging app.

TF1 TV cited an anonymous source saying that Durov was arrested at the Bourget airport outside Paris on Saturday evening.

French authorities have not released any official statement on the arrest.

Telegram is a popular messaging app with over 550 million monthly active users.

The app is known for its strong encryption and focus on privacy.

Durov has a history of run-ins with authorities.

In 2014, he was forced to flee Russia after refusing to hand over user data to the government.

Durov has not commented on his arrest.

However, in a previous interview, he said that he was prepared to go to jail for his beliefs.

"I'm not afraid of prison," Durov said. "I'm not afraid of anything."