WNAM REPORT: The decision to detain Pavel Durov, co-founder of the Telegram messenger, is not political, French President Emmanuel Macron said.
“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. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter,” sources reported, citing the French leader’s remarks on his X page.
Macron added that he sees “false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov.” “France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship,” he claimed.
“In a state governed by the rule of law, freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights,” Macron further asserted. “It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law,” he emphasized.
On the evening of August 24, Durov was detained at France’s Le Bourget airport. Law enforcement agencies say that he was a suspect of being complicit in drug trafficking, crimes against minors, and fraud amid the messenger’s lack of moderation, its refusal to cooperate with law enforcement, and the tools provided by the application to sell cryptocurrency.
In a statement on Sunday evening, Telegram said, “Telegram 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 frequently in 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.”
