French President Macron Refutes Political Motive in Founder’s Arrest

French President Emmanuel Macron has firmly denied any political involvement in the arrest of Pavel Durov, the founder of the encrypted messaging platform Telegram.

Durov, a tech billionaire with dual Russian and French citizenship, was detained at a Paris airport on accusations related to the spread of illegal content via Telegram.

Macron addressed the situation directly in a post on X (formerly Twitter), labelling the claims of political motivation as "false information." He emphasized that Durov's arrest was part of an ongoing judicial investigation, stating, "It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter."

Durov, who has been based in Dubai, arrived in Paris from Baku, Azerbaijan, seemingly aware of the legal risks. Despite this, he was detained and remains in French custody.

The arrest has raised eyebrows due to its timing and circumstances, leading to widespread speculation.

French officials, particularly from the Office for the Fight Against Violence towards Minors (OFMIN), have been investigating Durov for potential offenses including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, and the promotion of terrorism.

The accusations primarily focus on Telegram's alleged failure to moderate illegal content on the platform, which boasts over 900 million users worldwide.

In response to the allegations, Telegram has maintained that Durov has "nothing to hide" and insists that the platform operates within EU laws, including the Digital Services Act.

The company dismissed the idea that Durov or Telegram should be held responsible for illegal activities conducted by users on the platform.

The case has garnered international attention, with prominent figures such as Elon Musk expressing support for Durov. Musk took to X, using the hashtag #FreePavel and questioning the situation in a post that read, "Liberte Liberte! Liberte?" (Freedom Freedom! Freedom?).

Despite the controversy, Macron reiterated France's commitment to freedom of expression but stressed that such freedoms must operate within a legal framework. "It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law," Macron concluded.

As Durov's legal situation continues to unfold, the tech world watches closely, given Telegram's role in global communications and its use by individuals and groups on all sides of various geopolitical conflicts, including the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Durov is expected to remain in custody until Wednesday, pending further judicial actions.