Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been under arrest for the third day in France, with the French Foreign Ministry not giving any comments on the detention, while the European Commission prefers a policy of non-interference, saying that it is a matter for France.
The French Foreign Ministry refused to comment on the detention of Telegram founder Pavel Durov, noting that such statements could affect the independence of the judiciary.
The French foreign ministry emphasised that respecting the principle of judicial independence is a key element of the country’s legal system and interference in this process by the executive is unacceptable. A spokesman for the French foreign ministry said:
We will not comment on this issue so as not to affect the independence of the judiciary.
At the same time, the European Commission said that the arrest of Pavel Durov is a matter for France. The European Commission also declined to comment on the detention of Durov, referring to the ongoing investigation and saying it was a “private matter.”
The Telegram team first reacted to the detention of messenger founder in France – the comment appeared in the company’s official channel. It said that Telegram complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act – its moderation is in line with industry standards and is constantly being improved. The team said:
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and he often travels around Europe. It is absurd to claim that the platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of the platform. We look forward to a speedy resolution to this situation. Telegram is with you.
Telegram has 950 million monthly visitors in 2024. It ranks 8th among the world’s social networks in terms of users.
Visit to France
The Paris prosecutor’s office, to which Pavel Durov’s case was referred, plans to make a press statement on August 26, the office told reporters. The Russian embassy, meanwhile, has demanded that his rights be protected and consular access be granted, but Paris is “avoiding co-operation,” diplomats said.
On the evening of August 24, the Telegram founder flew to Le Bourget airport, where law enforcers were already waiting for him. A search request was issued by the department for combating juvenile offences. He may also face charges of terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud and money laundering.
TV channel TF1 reported that Pavel Durov has been declared persona non grata in France. It also said that the move may be linked to the Fifth Republic’s general attitude towards the platform and its influence on the digital space.
According to TF1, Durov was aware of his status and preferred to avoid visiting countries with an active Telegram presence, including France. His trips were reportedly mainly to the Emirates, CIS countries and South America.
Secrets of the investigation
France may use the Durov trial to impose EU sanctions against Telegram, journalists close to the European Commission say.
Durov’s arrest is an attack on freedom of speech in Europe. France may disguise Durov’s refusal to co-operate with the security services, which is why he left Russia, as a security concern.
The media suggest that the French authorities may force Durov to share information about Russian officials and their personal data, i.e. pressure is put on him under the pretext of fighting terrorism and illegal things covered in the cart.
Russian officials have been instructed to delete official correspondence in the messenger amid the detention of the Telegram founder. A similar instruction came to employees of a number of security agencies, as well as officials from the presidential administration. The order was also given to top officials of the Russian Defence Ministry. At the same time, some civil servants said that they had not received instructions to delete their correspondence. They expect them next week.
Earlier, Telegram representatives said that the platform’s founder Pavel Durov and the company itself are not responsible for the abuse of the messenger. The statement also said that the platform complies with EU laws and the Digital Services Act. It aims to restrict illegal content and create a safe environment for communication. Еhe report said:
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and is a frequent traveller in Europe.
The “oddities” in Durov’s case are highlighted by the fact that he was declared wanted just minutes before he landed in Paris and an arrest warrant was issued, French media reported.
The warrant was allegedly issued on the basis of a preliminary investigation by the judicial police’s juvenile directorate. Other investigative agencies were also involved in the investigation. According to French media, Durov allegedly knew about the wanted notice in France, but decided to stop by Paris anyway.
Durov planned to spend at least one evening and have dinner in Paris after arriving in France from Azerbaijan, Le Figaro reported, citing sources.
“A source familiar with the investigation said the Telegram founder had travelled from Azerbaijan and planned to spend at least one evening in Paris, where he was also planning to have dinner,” media reports quoted the agency as saying.
Criticism
Edward Snowden said Durov’s arrest is an attack on a person’s right to free speech. He is saddened that Macron has stooped to “taking hostages for the sake of gaining access to private correspondence.”
The detention of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France is another gross violation of the right to freedom of speech, Russian human rights ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova said. Moskalkova. The ombudsman also said:
This is also another vivid manifestation of double standards with regard to fundamental human rights on the part of a number of states that glorify democracy, but in reality seek to trample it.
The ombudsman called the Telegram messenger itself a convenient and accessible tool for people to communicate and a “censorship-free” channel for disseminating information.
Moscow will follow the reaction of international organisations after the detention of Pavel Durov, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. She noted that the behaviour and reaction of international organisations, which in other cases applied comprehensive pressure on our state, will now be taken into account by the Russian side.
The Russian Embassy in France has requested consular access to Telegram founder, the press service of the Russian diplomatic mission said.
The Russian embassy asked the French authorities for explanations about the reasons for the detention and also demanded that the rights of the entrepreneur be protected. According to the diplomats, so far Paris does not intend to cooperate and evades co-operation on this issue. Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy added that they are in contact with Durov’s lawyer.
Billionaire Elon Musk commented on the detention of Telegram messenger founder Pavel Durov in France, writing a post on social network X. He wrote:
POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme.
Elon Musk also called the detention of Pavel Durov in France a “compelling advert” for the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech.
American journalist Tucker Carlson also wrote a post on X:
Pavel Durov left Russia when the government tried to control his social media company, Telegram. But in the end, it wasn’t Putin who arrested him for allowing the public to exercise free speech. It was a western country, a Biden administration ally and enthusiastic NATO member, that locked him away. Pavel Durov sits in a French jail tonight, a living warning to any platform owner who refuses to censor the truth at the behest of governments and intel agencies. Darkness is descending fast on the formerly free world.
Possible consequences
Durov’s arrest may be an attempt by European authorities to put pressure on him to change his position on Telegram and his understanding of freedom of information in the modern world. The French authorities may make attempts to force him to influence the messenger’s activity.
Experts also suggest that the arrest of the Telegram owner could have been carried out in order to put pressure on him so that Durov would give the authorities access to the correspondence of a huge audience of Telegram users as part of the confrontation with Russia.
However, there will be no immediate changes in the work of Telegram, as it is a large and complex organisation with a unique management system and developed structure.
