MOSCOW: The number of downloads of Telegram in the App Store has increased in France and the United States after the messenger’s founder Pavel Durov had been detained in France, reported Sputnik, quoting the TechCrunch portal.
In France, the application rose to first place in the “Social Networks” category in the App Store and to third place among all applications. In the chart of the most popular applications, which does not include games, among users in the US, Telegram rose from 18th to eighth place compared to Friday, the publication said, citing the Appfigures app popularity tracker.
According to the analytical company Sensor Tower, as of last Sunday, the number of Telegram downloads on iOS devices around the world increased by 4 per cent in one day.
Durov was detained at the Paris Le Bourget airport on August 24. According to a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office, he is suspected of involvement in a number of offences, including failure to provide the requested information to the authorities, and management of a messenger that is allegedly used to distribute child pornography and to trade drugs.
According to French media reports, Durov, who also has French citizenship, was on the country’s wanted list; the businessman could face up to 20 years in prison.
