2024-08-27 20:30:29
French President Emmanuel Macron said that Telegram founder Pavel Durov was detained in France as part of an ongoing judicial investigation.
“This is in no way a political decision. The decision must be made by judges,” Macron wrote on social media X on August 26.
The President stressed that France is committed to freedom of speech:
“I read here false information about France after the arrest of Pavel Durov. France is more committed than ever to freedom of expression and communication, innovation and entrepreneurship. And it will remain so.”
Macron also noted that under the rule of law, both in real life and on social media, freedoms are regulated by law to protect citizens and their fundamental rights. Independent courts are responsible for enforcing the law, he added.
Let us recall that Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram and VKontakte, was detained in France on August 24. Official authorities have not yet disclosed what exactly the businessman is suspected of.
According to media reports, he may be charged with various crimes, including fraud and terrorism, due to the lack of moderation on Telegram and the messenger’s refusal to cooperate with law enforcement. Durov has citizenship in several countries, including Russia and France.
Earlier, we wrote that the court extended Durov’s arrest, and Telegram itself commented on the situation for the first time.
Also, “Cursor” shared 5 facts about Pavel Durov that are worth knowing.