French prosecutors have outlined 12 alleged violations as part of an ongoing investigation opened in July.
ADVERTISEMENTPavel Durov was detained on Saturday over a French investigation into alleged crimes related to child sexual abuse material, illicit transactions by organised groups, fraud and drug trafficking, the Paris prosecutor's office has said.
The Telegram co-founder and CEO was detained by French police on Saturday night at an airport near Paris.
His police custody was extended on Monday evening for up to 48 hours, a judicial source confirmed to Euronews Next.
Prosecutors said in a statement the arrest was related to a judicial cybercrime investigation opened in July "against an unnamed person" related to 12 alleged violations.
These include complicity in possessing and disseminating child pornography, in administering an online platform to allow organised crime, and in acquiring, transporting, or offering narcotics.
The office of Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau also mentioned a possible crime of refusing to communicate necessary documents with authorities and providing encryption services aimed at "ensuring confidentiality functions without the necessary declaration".
Macron: 'Not a political decision'
The Paris prosecutor's investigation followed a preliminary inquiry by its cybercrime section.
The investigating judges have referred the inquiry to offices for digital crime and anti-fraud.
On Tuesday, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the accusations against Durov were "very serious" and required substantial evidence, according to a recording of his call with media.
Other Russian government officials have criticised Durov's arrest, saying there is a double standard on freedom of speech and decried it as politically motivated.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that the arrest was part of "an ongoing judicial investigation," adding that it was "in no way a political decision".
"It is up to the judges to rule on the matter," the French president said.
Telegram said in a statement on the platform that it "is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform".
This article has been updated to include confirmation that Durov's police custody was extended and to clarify Peskov's quote on the allegations.
