After four days of questioning, French prosecutors freed Durov from police custody, and he will appear in court for a first appearance and a possible indictment. The allegations against Durov include that Telegram is being used for child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, fraud, and abetting organized crime transactions.

Durov's arrest had sparked an international outcry, with Russia and Iran weighing in on the issue. Russian government officials have called the arrest politically motivated and proof of the West's double standard on freedom of speech. 

In Iran, the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has praised France for being "strict" against those who "violate your governance" of the internet. French President Emmanuel Macron has denied that the arrest was a political move, stating that it was part of an independent investigation.

In response to the allegations, Telegram has stated that it abides by EU laws and that its moderation is "within industry standards and constantly improving." The messaging app has also argued that it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform. Telegram has nearly a billion users worldwide and is a popular source of news in Ukraine, where both media outlets and officials use it to share information on the war.

Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, holds multiple nationalities, including Russian, French, Emirati, and St Kitts and Nevis. This complex nationality status has further complicated the situation, with Russia and the UAE offering support to Durov as a citizen of their respective countries.

Telegram was founded by Pavel Durov and his brother after Durov faced pressure from Russian authorities. In 2013, Durov sold his stake in VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site, which he launched in 2006. The company came under pressure during the Russian government's crackdown following mass pro-democracy protests in 2011 and 2012.

Western governments have often criticised 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. In 2022, Germany issued fines of USD 5 million against Telegram's operators for failing to establish a lawful way to report illegal content or to name an entity in Germany to receive official communication.