PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that the arrest in France of the CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, was not a political move but part of an independent investigation.
Durov was arrested on Saturday at Le Bourget airport as part of an investigation launched last month into 12 suspected crimes, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Monday.
In a statement, it said the alleged violations included complicity in the sale of child pornography and drug trafficking, fraud, aiding and abetting organized crime transactions and refusing to provide information or documents to investigators when required by law.
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Macron defends arrest as part of the legal framework
In France’s first public comment on the arrest, Macron posted on social media platform X that his country was “deeply committed” to freedom of expression, but that “freedoms are safeguarded both on social media and in real life within a legal framework to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.”
Macron condemned the alleged misinformation and said the arrest was “in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to decide on this matter.”
Durov’s pre-trial detention was extended until Monday night and may be extended until Wednesday evening before authorities must release him or press charges, prosecutors said.
Durov is a citizen of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island state of St. Kitts and Nevis.
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Russian authorities are outraged by detention
Russian government officials have expressed outrage over his detention, with some calling it politically motivated and proof of the West’s double standards when it comes to freedom of speech. The outcry has caused a stir among Kremlin critics: in 2018, Russian authorities themselves tried to block Telegram but failed, lifting the ban in 2020.
Telegram, which claims to have nearly a billion users worldwide, was founded by Durov and his brother after he himself faced pressure from Russian authorities.
In 2013, he sold his stake in VKontakte, a popular Russian social network he founded in 2006.
The company came under pressure due to the Russian government’s harsh measures following the mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow in late 2011 and 2012.
Durov said authorities had demanded that the website remove online communities of Russian opposition activists and later hand over the personal information of users who took part in the 2013 popular uprising in Ukraine that eventually led to the ouster of a pro-Kremlin president.
Durov said in a recent interview that he rejected these demands and left the country.
The demonstrations prompted Russian authorities to restrict digital space. Telegram and its privacy-friendly rhetoric offered Russians a convenient way to communicate and exchange messages.
Telegram also remains a popular news source in Ukraine, where it is used by media and authorities to exchange information about the war and to transmit warnings about rocket and air strikes.
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Telegram defends its practices despite arrest
A statement posted on the platform after his arrest said the company complies with EU laws and its moderation is “in line with industry standards and constantly improving.”
“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the misuse of that platform,” Telegram’s post said. “Nearly a billion users around the world use Telegram as a means of communication and as a source of important information. We await a swift resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.”
A French investigating judge extended Durov’s arrest warrant on Sunday evening, French media reported on Monday. Under French law, Durov can remain in custody for up to four days. After that, the judges must decide whether to bring charges against him or release him.
The Russian embassy in Paris said consular officials were denied access to Durov because French authorities considered his French citizenship to be his primary nationality. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday: “We still do not know what exactly Durov is accused of. … Let’s wait until the charges are announced – if they are announced.”
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X who has described himself in the past as a “champion of absolute freedom of speech,” posted “#freePavel” in support of Durov after the arrest.
Telegram’s history of regulatory challenges
Western governments often criticize Telegram for its lack of content moderation. Experts say this could potentially open the messaging platform to abuse for money laundering, drug trafficking and the distribution of material related to the sexual exploitation of minors.
In 2022, Germany imposed $5 million in fines on Telegram’s operators for failing to create a legal way to report illegal content or designate an entity in Germany that could receive official notices, both of which are required under German laws regulating large online platforms.
Last year, Brazil temporarily blocked Telegram because the company failed to release data on neo-Nazi activities in connection with a police investigation into school shootings in November.
