Russia demands France explain why it arrested Telegram founder

According to RT on August 25, the above information was given by a senior diplomat.

Mr. Durov, a Russian tech entrepreneur who also holds citizenship in France, the United Arab Emirates, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, was detained upon landing at Le Bourget Airport in Paris on August 24 and is scheduled to appear in court on the evening of August 25 (local time). French authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Durov, alleging that inadequate censorship on the Telegram platform has allowed the app to be widely used by criminals.

Specifically, according to French news channel TF1, the authorities of this country may charge Mr. Durov with crimes related to terrorism, money laundering, drug trafficking and child pornography. French police believe that Mr. Durov is complicit in illegal drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud due to Telegram's lack of censorship, refusal to cooperate with law enforcement and the option to send cryptocurrency via this messaging app.

“As soon as news of Mr. Durov’s arrest broke, we immediately asked the French authorities to clarify the reasons and asked them to ensure the protection of Mr. Durov’s rights and provide consular access,” the Russian Embassy said in a statement on August 25.

However, Russian diplomats said they have not received any response from Paris so far. “The French side has so far avoided cooperation on this issue,” they said.

The Russian embassy also said it was still in contact with Mr Durov's lawyer.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on international human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International to stand up for freedom of speech and pressure France to release the Telegram founder.

The deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, Vladislav Davankov, also called on Paris to release Mr Durov, warning that the tech entrepreneur’s detention could be politically motivated and used to access the personal information of Telegram users – something Russia cannot accept.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the arrest of Telegram's founder could cost the French authorities dearly.

From 2014 to 2021, Telegram came under increasing scrutiny in several countries as a platform used by groups to organize protests and share extremist content. Yet Mr. Durov continued to reject censorship and portrayed himself as a strong advocate for free speech.

In 2022, when Russia launched its campaign in Ukraine, Telegram became the main social media platform used by both Russia and Ukraine to post content about the conflict and the political situation surrounding it.