French prosecutors are expected to charge or release Pavel Durov, the CEO of popular messaging app Telegram, after his police custody order expires on Wednesday. Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry involving 12 alleged criminal violations, including accusations related to child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, fraud, and abetting organized crime transactions.
Under French law, Durov can be held in custody for questioning for up to 96 hours after the arrest. The Paris prosecutor's office stated that Durov's police custody order was extended for up to 48 hours, after which authorities must release or charge him.
