Macron: Pavel Durov's Arrest In France Is Not Political

French President Emmanuel Macron (right) (photo; x @EmmanuelMacron)

JAKARTA - Pavel Durov, founder of the Telegram messaging application born in Russia, was arrested in France as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. According to French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, August 26, there was no political motive behind this arrest.

Macron's statement on social media platform X is the first official confirmation of Durov's arrest, nearly two days after he was detained at Le Bourget airport outside Paris after landing on a private jet from Azerbaijan.

Lack of official confirmation has sparked speculation about the reasons for his detention. Macron said he had read "misinformation related to France in connection with Pavel Durov's arrest," adding that France was deeply committed to free speech.

I have seen 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. It will remain so.In a state governed by the rule of law,…

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 26, 2024

I have seen false information reporting 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. It will remain so.In a state governed by the rule of law,...

"The arrest of the Telegram president in French territory was carried out as part of an ongoing judicial investigation," Macron wrote. "This is not at all a political decision. It is up to the judges to decide."

A police spokesman said Durov was being investigated by cybercrime offices and national fraud for failing to cooperate in cyber and financial crimes on Telegram, a popular messaging and social media app similar to WhatsApp. "He is still in custody," the spokesman said.

Durov's arrest sparked criticism from X owner Elon Musk, who said that freedom of speech in Europe was under attack, as well as calls from Moscow for French authorities to grant Durov's rights.

Tensions between France and Russia have escalated over the months, with French authorities accusing Russia of trying to destabilize the country ahead of the Paris Olympics in response to France's tougher stance on the war in Ukraine - a charge Russia denies.

Durov, a 39-year-old billionaire known as "Mark Zuckerberg of Russia" has dual French citizenship and the United Arab Emirates. According to Forbes estimates, Durov has a fortune of US$15.5 billion. In April, Durov said several governments had tried to suppress it, but the app should remain a neutral platform and not become a "player in geopolitical."

Telegram did not provide details regarding the arrest, but said the Dubai-based company complies with EU law and moderation "according to industry standards and continues to rise."

" Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, has nothing to hide and travel to Europe frequently," Telegram said in a statement. "It is absurd to claim that the platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of the platform."

When asked about the arrest, the Kremlin on Monday said it had not seen any official charges from France against Durov.

"We don't really know what the allegations against Durov are," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a news conference. "With what exactly are they trying to criminalize Durov? Without knowing this, it might not be appropriate to make any statements," Peskov added.

The Russian Embassy in Paris said on platform X that French authorities had rejected their request for consular access, but stated that they were communicating with lawyer Durov. The embassy did not respond to further requests for comment.

FRENCH CITIZENS

Telegram was founded by Durov, who left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with demands to close opposition communities on his social media platform, VK, which he later sold.

This encrypted application, which has nearly 1 billion users, is very influential in Russia, Ukraine, and former Soviet Union countries. Durov, who was born in Leningrad, Soviet, and graduated from the State University of St. Petersburg, identified his political views as "libertarian."

He obtained a French passport in 2021 through a special procedure for prominent foreign figures who exempt them from usual legal requirements, including living in the country for at least five years.

The French Foreign Ministry, which is in charge of this procedure, did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the media. Elysee's presidential office also declined to comment, submitting a response to the foreign ministry.

According to French law, any foreigner can be given citizenship under special rules as long as he speaks French and "contributes through his outstanding work to France's influence and the prosperity of his international economic relations."

Durov has never lived in France and it is not clear what his particularly relationship with the country is. On June 10, Durov posted on his Telegram channel: "As a French citizen, I agree that France is the best holiday destination."

The naturalization procedure is rare, with only 10-20 cases being processed annually and each requiring high-level political support, according to local media reports.

Evan Spiegel, founder of Snap, the app maker of Snapchat, received French citizenship in 2018 through the same program, according to local media reports at the time. Snap did not respond to a request for comment. Russian state media reported that Durov also had Russian citizenship and St Kitts and Nevis.