All news

Paris prosecutor's office announces extension of Telegram CEO’s custody

This time, the prosecution authorities did not specify if the 48-hour extension was supposed to expire on a later date or whether it was prolonging the initial 48-hour detention

PARIS, August 27. /TASS/. Telegram messenger co-founder Pavel Durov will remain in custody for another 48 hours as part of an investigation into cybercrimes, a spokesperson for the Paris prosecutor’s office told TASS.

"We can confirm that Pavel Durov’s custody was extended for 48 hours last night," the spokesperson said.

On Monday, the prosecutor’s office issued a statement saying that Durov’s custody, extended to 96 hours, would end on August 28. However, this time, the prosecution authorities did not specify if the 48-hour extension was supposed to expire on a later date or whether it was prolonging the initial 48-hour detention.

Durov was detained at Le Bourget Airport outside Paris on August 24; his custody was extended to 96 hours the next day. The Paris prosecutor’s office suspects him of complicity in drug trafficking, fraud crimes against children committed through Telegram.

The Russian embassy in France said diplomats had demanded that Durov’s rights be protected and he be provided with consular access. "So far, the French authorities have been evading cooperation on the matter," the embassy added.