French President Emmanuel Macron said Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been arrested in France as part of an ongoing judicial investigation.
“This is in no way a political decision. The decision must be taken by the judges,” Macron wrote on social media network X on August 26.
The President stressed that France is committed to freedom of expression:
“I am reading here false information about France after the arrest of Pavel Durov. France is more committed than ever to freedom of expression and communication, innovation and entrepreneurship. This will continue to be the case.”
Macron also noted that under the rule of law, both in real life and on social media, freedoms are regulated by law to protect citizens and their fundamental rights. Independent courts are responsible for enforcing the law, he added.
Recall that Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram and VKontakte, was arrested in France on August 24. Official authorities have not yet revealed what exactly the businessman is suspected of.
According to media reports, he could be charged with various crimes, including fraud and terrorism, due to Telegram’s lack of moderation and the messenger’s refusal to cooperate with law enforcement. Durov has citizenship of several countries, including Russia and France.
We previously wrote that the court had extended Durov’s arrest, and we commented on the situation for the first time in Telegram.
Cursor also shared 5 facts about Pavel Durov that are worth knowing.
