France’s Macron says arrest of Telegram CEO not politically motivated |

(Reuters) – The arrest in France of Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of messaging app Telegram, was part of an ongoing judicial investigation and had no political motives, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.

Macron’s statement on X was the first official confirmation of Durov’s arrest, nearly two days after he was detained shortly after arriving at Le Bourget Airport outside Paris on a private plane from Azerbaijan.

The lack of official confirmation has led to speculation about the reasons for his detention. Macron said he had “read false information here about France following the arrest of Pavel Durov,” adding that France was firmly committed to freedom of expression.
“The arrest of the president of Telegram on French territory is part of an ongoing judicial investigation. This is in no way a political decision. It is for the judges to decide,” Macron wrote.

A police spokesman told Reuters that Durov was being investigated by the National Cybercrime and Fraud Office for failing to cooperate in an investigation into cyber and financial crimes on Telegram, a popular messaging and social media app similar to WhatsApp. He remained in custody, the spokesman said.
Reuters was unable to reach any of his lawyers.
Durov’s arrest sparked criticism from X owner Elon Musk, who said free speech in Europe was under attack and called on Moscow to demand that French authorities grant Durov his rights.

Tensions between France and Russia have been rising for months, with French authorities accusing Moscow of seeking to destabilize France in the run-up to the Paris Olympics in response to France’s tougher stance on the war in Ukraine – accusations Russia denies.

Durov, 39, is a billionaire known as the “Russian Mark Zuckerberg” with dual French and UAE citizenship. Forbes estimates Durov’s wealth at $15.5 billion. In April, Durov said some governments had tried to put pressure on him, but the app should remain a neutral platform and not a “geopolitical player.”

Telegram did not reveal details of the arrest but said the Dubai-based company complies with EU law and that its moderation is “in line with industry standards and is continuously improving”.

“Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owners are responsible for platform abuse,” Telegram said in a statement.
Asked about Durov’s arrest, the Kremlin said on Monday it had not seen any official charges brought against him by France.

“We do not yet know the specific charges against Durov,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a news conference.
“What exactly do they want to accuse Durov of? Any statement without knowing the truth is probably wrong,” Peskov said.

The Russian Embassy in Paris said on Thursday that French authorities had refused to cooperate with its request for consular access but said it had been in contact with Durov’s lawyers. The embassy did not respond to a request for comment.

Telegram was founded by Durov, who left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with demands to shut down opposition communities on the VK social media platform, which he has now sold.

The crypto app has nearly 1 billion users and is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine and the former Soviet republics. Born in Leningrad, Soviet Union, Durov graduated from St. Petersburg State University and his political views are “libertarian.”
In 2021, he obtained a French passport through a special procedure for prominent foreigners that waives the usual legal requirements, including living in France for at least five years.

The French Foreign Ministry, which oversees the process, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The presidential office at the Elysee Palace also declined to comment, saying it would defer to the Foreign Ministry.

Under French law, any foreigner who speaks French and “contributes through his or her distinguished work to the influence of France and the prosperity of international economic relations” can obtain French citizenship under special regulations.

Durov has never lived in France, and it is unclear what special connection he has with the country. On June 10, Durov posted on his Telegram channel: “As a French citizen, I agree that France is the best holiday destination.”
His naturalization process is rare, with only 10 to 20 cases handled each year, and each requires high-level political support, according to local media reports.

Evan Spiegel, founder of Snapchat app maker Snap (SNAP.N), received French citizenship through the same program in 2018, local media reported at the time. Snap did not respond to a request for comment.
Russian state media reported that Durov also holds citizenship of Russia and Saint Kitts and Nevis. Reuters was unable to verify those reports.