Macron says Telegram CEO's arrest was not political

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that the arrest in France of the CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, was not a political decision but part of an independent investigation.

Durov was arrested Saturday at Le Bourget airport as part of a judicial investigation opened last month concerning 12 alleged criminal offences, the Paris prosecutor's office said Monday.

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The department said in a statement that the alleged violations include complicity in the sale of child pornography and drug trafficking, fraud, complicity in organized crime transactions and refusal to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

In France's first public comment on the arrest, Macron said on social media platform X that his country “is deeply committed” to freedom of expression, but that “freedoms are respected within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.”

Denouncing what he called false information, Macron said the arrest “is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to decide on the matter.”

Durov's detention was extended until Monday evening and may be extended until Wednesday evening before authorities are forced to release him or charge him, the prosecutor's office said.

Durov is a citizen of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Russian government officials have expressed outrage at his detention, with some calling it politically motivated and evidence of the West’s double standards on freedom of expression. The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics: In 2018, Russian authorities themselves tried to block Telegram but failed, lifting the ban in 2020.

Telegram, which claims to have nearly a billion users worldwide, was founded by Durov and his brother after he himself came under pressure from Russian authorities.

In 2013, he sold his stake in VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site he launched in 2006.

The company has come under pressure as part of the Russian government's crackdown on mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow in late 2011 and 2012.

Durov said authorities demanded that the site remove online communities of Russian opposition activists and then hand over the personal data of users who took part in the 2013 popular uprising in Ukraine that ultimately toppled a pro-Kremlin president.

Durov said in a recent interview that he had rejected these demands and left the country.

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The protests prompted Russian authorities to crack down on the digital space, and Telegram and its pro-privacy rhetoric offered a convenient way for Russians to communicate and share information.

Telegram also continues to be a popular source of information in Ukraine, where media outlets and officials use it to share information about the war and broadcast warnings of missiles and air raids.

In a statement posted on its platform after his arrest, Telegram said it complied with EU laws and that its moderation was “in line with industry standards and constantly improving.”

“It is absurd to claim that any platform or its owner is responsible for the misuse of this platform,” Telegram said in its message. “Nearly a billion users worldwide rely on Telegram as a means of communication and a source of vital information. We expect a quick resolution of this situation. Telegram is with all of you.”

A French investigating judge extended Mr Durov's pretrial detention on Sunday evening, French media reported on Monday. Under French law, Mr Durov can remain in pretrial detention for questioning for up to four days. After that, judges must decide whether to charge him or release him.

The Russian embassy in Paris said consular officials were unable to meet with Durov because French authorities consider his French citizenship to be his primary nationality. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday: “We still don’t know exactly what Durov is accused of. … Let’s wait until the charges are announced – if they are.”

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, who has previously called himself an “absolute defender of free speech,” posted “#freePavel” in support of Durov after his arrest.

Western governments have often criticized Telegram for its lack of content moderation, which experts say opens the messaging platform to potential use in money laundering, drug trafficking and sharing material related to the sexual exploitation of minors.

In 2022, Germany fined Telegram operators $5 million for failing to provide a legal way to report illegal content or to designate an entity in Germany to receive official communications. Both are required by German laws that regulate major online platforms.

Last year, Brazil temporarily suspended Telegram over its refusal to provide data on neo-Nazi activity linked to a police investigation into school shootings in November.

Barbara Surk in Nice, France, and Daria Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia contributed.