Macron says French government had nothing to do with Telegram founder’s arrest

The French government was not involved in the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov (26), the country’s president Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday. The head of the executive branch claims that the detention of the billionaire was part of a judicial investigation.

“France is linked above all to freedom of expression and communication, innovation and entrepreneurship. This will continue,” Macron said in a broadcast on the X channel. “The arrest of the head of Telegram on French soil occurred as part of an ongoing criminal investigation“This is in no way a political decision,” he said.

Durov arrested at Le Bourget airport in ParisSaturday (24). He was one of the passengers of the private jet arriving from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

There is information about the French suite where Pavel Durov was arrested.

La France is a country with freedom of expression, freedom of communication, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. It will restore it.

Dance of the world,…

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 26, 2024

No details have been released regarding Durov’s arrest, but sources interviewed by the French media claim that: The prison sentence is the result of a series of violations Processed by Telegram, including inefficient content moderation.

Macron’s comments were the first by a French official.

On social media, Telegram spoke in favor of its founder“Durov has nothing to hide,” the platform said in a post.

?? Telegram complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act; its regulation is within industry standards and is constantly improving.

?? Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently to Europe.

????? A platform or its owner…

— Telegram Messenger (@telegram) August 25, 2024

Durov’s detention could last up to 96 hoursNo information regarding his release has been released so far.