UPDATE: Telegram founder Pavel Durov transferred from police custody to court after arrest in France

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From CNN: Telegram founder Pavel Durov was released from police custody in France on Wednesday and transferred to court for questioning ahead of a possible indictment, prosecutors told CNN, days after his dramatic arrest at a Paris airport.

The Russian-born billionaire exited the anti-fraud office outside Paris in what appeared to be a police vehicle on Wednesday afternoon, according to a CNN producer there.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said he would now face “initial questioning and possible indictment” at a court in the French capital.

Durov, 39, was detained at Paris’s Bourget Airport on Saturday on a warrant related to Telegram’s lack of moderation. He was being investigated on charges relating to a host of crimes, including allegations that his platform was complicit in aiding fraudsters, drug traffickers and people spreading child pornography.

Durov is being accused of failing to properly moderate the Telegram app, which officials claim is being used by terrorist groups and ‘far-right extremists.’

French law only allows someone to be held in custody for 96 hours without being charged, so Durov has now been transferred to court where he will be questioned and potentially indicted.

The report explains that the Telegram app was founded by Durov and his brother, Nikolai, in 2013. It now has over 950 million users, and is one of the most widely used messaging apps in the world. The company is headquartered in Dubai, where Durov now lives. Durov, who was born in Russia, has an estimated net worth of $9.15 billion.

TIME Magazine wrote:

Durov, 39, was born in Russia and founded Telegram in 2013. The project stemmed from his deep anti-regulation bent and belief that people in countries with oppressive governments needed an encrypted messaging system to communicate with each other. Durov’s comments drew the ire of the Russian government, and he fled the country in 2014.

Telegram allows users to chat privately and in groups, or to subscribe to public channels that disseminate information. Durov positioned Telegram as a haven for free and secure speech.

His arrested has prompted widespread outrage and is viewed by many as an attack on free speech.

Edward Snowden wrote, “The arrest of @Durov is an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association. I am surprised and deeply saddened that Macron has descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications. It lowers not only France, but the world.”

Durov was just interviewed by podcast host Tucker Carlson four months ago.  X owner Elon Musk shared a clip from that interview and used the hashtag #FreePavel.

Carlson discussed Durov’s arrest in a recent podcast with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  Watch below:

The Dennis Michael Lynch Podcast is available below, with the most recent on top. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the show by downloading The DML News App or go to Apple Podcasts.

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