Telegram’s founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, has been detained in France, with his custody potentially extending up to four days, according to reports from Reuters based on local media sources. The Russia-born billionaire was apprehended by French authorities on Saturday after his private jet landed at an airport near Paris. The reasons for Durov’s arrest remain unclear, but it is speculated that Telegram’s reputation for limited cooperation with authorities might have led to accusations against Durov involving complicity in organized crime, drug trafficking, fraud, cyberbullying, and the promotion of terrorism.

Telegram, a popular instant messaging platform known for its strong privacy features, offers end-to-end encryption for private chats. However, both public and private group chats on the platform remain unencrypted, creating a situation where law enforcement may seek access to communications used by criminals to coordinate illegal activities.

Late Sunday, Telegram released an official statement addressing the situation:

“Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act—its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving. Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform. Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.”

The Digital Services Act is a relatively new EU-wide regulation that governs digital services, including social media platforms like Telegram. Its primary goal is to ensure that online activities are subject to the same legal standards as those in the physical world. As part of this legislation, platform providers are required to increase transparency and implement measures to prevent the misuse of their services.

With nearly a billion users worldwide, Telegram has become a crucial platform for free speech in many countries, especially in regions with authoritarian governments. However, the platform’s commitment to privacy has also made it a preferred tool for criminals and disinformation campaigns in other parts of the world.

The detention of Pavel Durov highlights the ongoing tension between the need for privacy and the potential for misuse of digital platforms. As Telegram awaits further developments in Durov’s case, the debate over the role of such platforms in balancing user privacy with public safety continues to intensify.