The recent arrest of Pavel Durov, the Russian-born CEO of the messaging app Telegram, was "in no way a political decision," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement on Aug. 26.
Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport on the outskirts of Paris on Aug. 24 after landing in his private jet. The French authorities extended his detention on Aug. 25.
Born in St Petersburg, Durov obtained French citizenship in 2021, but is believed to live in Dubai.
The CEO is "accused of being passive with regards to cyber and financial crimes being committed" on Telegram, Reuters reported on Aug. 26, citing a French police spokesperson.
The Russian Embassy in Paris claimed they asked for consular access to Durov on Aug. 25, but "the French side has so far avoided cooperation on this issue."
Elon Musk, Tesla CEO and owner of the social media platform X, shared his public support for Durov on social media, writing "Free Pavel" among other posts.
Macron said there is now "false information regarding France" circulating following the arrest of Durov. "France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so."
"It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law. The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision," Macron added.
In a statement published on Aug. 25, Telegram said that the platform "abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act—its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving."
"Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels regularly throughout Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform. We're awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation."
Durov, who has a net worth estimated at $15.5 billion, left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with government demands to shut down opposition communities on Russian social media platform VK, which he subsequently sold.
While VK is banned in Ukraine, Telegram is one of the most popular social media platforms among Ukrainians. A September 2023 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology indicated that 44% of Ukrainians use Telegram to receive information and news.
Telegram is also widely used by Ukrainian officials and various government bodies.
Daria Shulzhenko
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