News - AFP: Telegram founder’s detention extended in France

French judicial authorities on Sunday extended the detention of the Russian-born founder and chief of Telegram, Pavel Durov, by 48 hours, says a source close to the investigation, AFP reports. This detention can last a maximum of 96 hours, after which the judge must either release Durov or charge him. Bloomberg also had reported that the detention of Telegram's founder may be extended. According to French law, the detention can only be extended once. The French authorities did not give an official comment on Durov's case. Only the Telegram team has issued a comment, where it says that the company's CEO has nothing to hide, that he often travels around Europe, and that Telegram complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act. It is absurd to claim that the platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of that platform, the Sunday comment emphasizes. Also, it states that around one billion users around the world use Telegram as a means of communication and a source of important information. On the evening of August 24, French media reported that Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, was detained at Paris–Le Bourget Airport upon his arrival in France. He was interrogated and taken into custody. Durov had arrived from Azerbaijan on a private plane.