The founder of the Telegram messenger Pavel Durov, who was detained by French authorities on August 24, 2024, refused consular assistance offered to him by Russia and the United Arab Emirates. This was reported by Politico, citing a French official. According to him, the billionaire did not accept Russian support, but agreed that UAE diplomats should be aware of his situation. The Russian embassy did not comment on the incident.
Durov’s arrest is related to an investigation by French intelligence services into the case of an alleged sex offender who used Telegram to communicate with victims. The platform refused to hand over the attacker’s data, attracting the attention of law enforcement. According to media reports, Durov faces up to 20 years in prison.
During his arrest, Durov claimed that he had come to France to meet President Emmanuel Macron, but the Elysée Palace denied this information. Using the right to a phone call, the founder of Telegram contacted French billionaire Xavier Niel, but the content of their conversation is unknown.
The court banned Durov from leaving France until March 2025 and set bail at five million euros, of which one million must be paid immediately and the rest in instalments.
Earlier, Kursor wrote that Telegram founder Pavel Durov made the first official statement after his release, expressing his gratitude to everyone who supported him during this difficult time. In his speech, Durov spoke about a four-day interrogation by the French authorities, who took personal responsibility for the illegal actions of third parties using Telegram.
