Russian-born Telegram founder Durov arrested in France

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00:00Located on the outskirts of Paris, this is the building where Pavel Durov is being questioned.

00:06The 39-year-old founder of Telegram saw his detention extended late Sunday by the investigating

00:12magistrate in the case.

00:14French media reported the Franco-Russian billionaire was the subject of an arrest warrant issued

00:20by France.

00:21Authorities in Moscow, meanwhile, say they're waiting for more details.

00:26We don't know exactly what Durov is accused of.

00:29We haven't heard any official statements.

00:31Before saying something, we should wait for clarifying the situation for charges against him.

00:37Dubai-based Telegram boasts nearly a billion users, but the messaging app has been criticized

00:43for its failure to moderate extreme content.

00:47While the company says it's got nothing to hide, Russian lawmakers claim Pavel Durov

00:52is being made a pawn.

00:54They have a hostage and they will try to blackmail Russia, they will try to blackmail all the

01:00users of Telegram, that now they're not going to just gain control, but they will probably

01:05try to block the network here in Russia.

01:08Moscow has leapt to Pavel Durov's defense even though he left the country in 2014 after

01:14coming under pressure from local authorities.

01:17While Durov remains a Russian citizen, he acquired French nationality in 2021.

01:23His initial period of questioning can last up to 96 hours, after which Durov can be released

01:29or kept in custody and charged.

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