Decision to detain Durov not political, says Macron

PARIS, August 26. /TASS/. 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,” the French leader wrote 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 said. “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 added. “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 suspect him 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, TF1 reported.
The Russian Embassy in France told TASS that it would seek to protect Durov’s rights and make sure he has access to consular services, but that “the French side has so far refused to cooperate on this issue.” Durov also holds a French passport.