French President Emmanuel Macron has addressed the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in Paris, stressing that the detention is not driven by political motives.
"This is in no way a political decision. It is a decision made by judges," Macron shared on social media platform X.
He reaffirmed that while France supports freedom of expression, this freedom must operate within the boundaries of the law to protect citizens and uphold their rights.
Durov, a Russian national, was detained on Saturday evening in Paris.
The arrest was linked to an ongoing investigation into allegations that Telegram, the messaging platform he founded, has been used for illicit activities such as drug trafficking, child exploitation, and fraud.
The French media outlet TFI Info reported that Durov is under suspicion for not adequately moderating the platform and for enabling criminal activities through features like disposable numbers and cryptocurrency transactions.
A spokesperson for the French police confirmed that Durov remains in custody, under investigation by national units focused on combating cybercrime and financial fraud.
The charges against him include allegations of passivity in addressing crimes facilitated through Telegram.
