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French prosecutors say Telegram CEO freed from custody, will appear in court

French prosecutors have freed Telegram CEO Pavel Durov from police custody after four days of questioning over allegations that the messaging app is being used for illegal activities.

Allegations against the Russia-born Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud and abetting organized crime transactions, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law. Durov had said authorities demanded that the site take down online communities of Russian opposition activists, and later that it hand over personal data of users who took part in the 2013-2014 popular uprising in Ukraine, which eventually ousted a pro-Kremlin president. Western governments have often criticized Telegram for a lack of content moderation, which experts say opens up the messaging app for potential use in money laundering, drug trafficking and the sharing of material linked to the sexual exploitation of minors.

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