Macron: France's arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov had no political background

PARIS (AP) – French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that the arrest of CEO of the popular messaging app TelegramPavel 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.

A statement said the alleged violations included complicity in the sale of child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud, aiding and abetting organized crime transactions and refusing to provide information or documents to investigators when required by law.

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.

Russian officials have expressed outrage over his detention, with some calling it politically motivated and evidence of the West's double standards when it comes to freedom of speech. The outcry has caused consternation among Kremlin critics, as Russian authorities themselves tried to block Telegram in 2018 but failed and lifted the ban in 2020.

Early Tuesday, the United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry said it was “closely following the case” and had asked France to provide Durov with “all necessary consular services as a matter of urgency.”

France and the United Arab Emirates have a close military relationship. The French operate a naval base in Abu Dhabi and the Emirati armed forces use French-built Leclerc tanks and Rafale fighter jets.

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 when the Russian government cracked down after Mass protests for democracy that shook 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 the Russian authorities to restrict the digital spaceand Telegram, with 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.

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 in the past described himself as “ Advocates of absolute freedom of speech“, posted “#freePavel” in support of Durov after the arrest.

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 fines 5 million dollars against the operators of Telegram because they failed to create a legal way to report illegal content or designate a body in Germany to receive official notifications, both of which are required under German laws that regulate large online platforms.

Last year, Brazil temporarily suspended Telegram for refusing to release data on neo-Nazi activities related to a police investigation into the November school shootings.

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Associated Press writers Barbara Surk in Nice, France, and Daria Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.