French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that the arrest of Pavel Durov, CEO of popular messaging app Telegram, in France was not a political move but part of an independent investigation.
Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport on Saturday as part of a judicial investigation The Paris prosecutor’s office said on Monday that a case was opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.
The statement said the suspected violations include selling child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, fraud, facilitating organised crime transactions, and refusing to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.
In France’s first public comment on the arrests, Macron posted on the social media platform X that his country was “deeply committed” to freedom of expression but that “freedom is upheld within the legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.”
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Macron denounced the false reporting, saying the arrests were “in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter.”
The prosecutor’s office said Durov’s detention had been extended until Monday night and could be extended until Wednesday evening, when authorities will either release or charge him.
Durov is a citizen of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates, and the Caribbean island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Russian government officials have expressed outrage at his detention, with some calling it politically motivated and evidence of the West’s double standards on freedom of expression. The outrage has stunned Kremlin critics as Russian authorities themselves tried to block Telegram in 2018 but failed, lifting the ban in 2020.
On Tuesday morning, the United Arab Emirates’ foreign ministry said it was “closely monitoring the case” and had asked France to “immediately provide all necessary consular services” to Durov.
France and the UAE have close military ties, with France operating a naval base in Abu Dhabi and Emirati forces using French-made Leclerc tanks and Rafale fighter jets.
Telegram, which is said to have about a billion users worldwide, was founded by Durov and his brother after they themselves faced pressure from Russian authorities.
In 2013 he sold his stake in VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site he launched in 2006.
The company has come under pressure due to the Russian government’s crackdown following massive pro-democracy protests in Moscow in late 2011 and 2012.
Durov said authorities had demanded that the site take down online communities of Russian opposition activists, and later hand over personal data 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 protests prompted Russian authorities to clamp down on the digital space, and Telegram and its pro-privacy rhetoric provided Russians with a convenient way to communicate and share news.
Telegram also remains a popular source of news in Ukraine, where both media and officials use it to share information about the war and warn of missile and air strikes.
In a statement posted on its platform after his arrest, Telegram said it complies with EU laws, and that its moderation is “within industry standards and is 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 a source of important information. We look forward to a quick resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.”
French media reported on Monday that a French investigating judge extended Durov’s detention period on Sunday night. According to French law, Durov can remain in custody for up to four days for interrogation. After that, judges will have to decide either to charge him or release him.
The Russian embassy in Paris said consulate officials were not allowed to meet with Durov because French authorities consider his French citizenship to be his primary citizenship. “We still don’t know what exactly Durov is being accused of. … Let’s wait until the charges are announced – if they are announced,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
X’s billionaire owner Elon Musk, who has in the past called himself a “free speech absolutist”, posted “#freePavel” in support of Durov after his arrest.
Western governments have often criticised Telegram for its lack of control over content, which experts say makes the messaging platform more likely to be used for money laundering, drug trafficking and sharing content involving the sexual exploitation of minors.
In 2022, Germany issued a $5 million fine to the operators of Telegram for failing to report illegal content or name an entity in Germany for receiving official communications. Both are required under German laws regulating large online platforms.
Last year, Brazil temporarily suspended Telegram for failing to submit data on neo-Nazi activity related to a police investigation into a school shooting in November.