France’s Macron says arrest of messaging app head Telegram was not political – Oneida Dispatch

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 move but part of an independent investigation.

French media reported that Durov was detained at a Paris airport on Saturday on an arrest warrant alleging that his platform was used for money laundering, drug trafficking and other crimes. Durov is a citizen of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

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

He condemned what he called false information circulating about the arrest and said it was “in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to judge this.”

Russian government officials have expressed outrage over Durov’s arrest, with some calling the arrest politically motivated and saying it highlights the West’s double standards on freedom of expression.

Telegram, which claims to have nearly a billion users worldwide, was founded by Durov and his brother after the Russian government’s massive crackdown on pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow in late 2011 and 2012.

The protests prompted Russian authorities to clamp down on the digital world. Telegram and its pro-privacy rhetoric offered Russians a convenient way to communicate and share news.

Telegram is still a popular news source in Ukraine, too. Both media and officials use it to share information about the war and to issue warnings about missiles and airstrikes.

In a statement posted on its platform after his arrest, Telegram said it complies with EU law and that its moderation “falls within industry standards and is continuously improving.”

“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the misuse of that platform,” Telegram’s message read. “Almost a billion users worldwide use Telegram as a means of communication and as a source of essential information. We are waiting for a quick resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.”

A French investigating judge extended Durov’s arrest warrant Sunday night, French media reported Monday. Under French law, Durov can remain in custody for questioning for up to four days, after which judges must decide whether to charge him or release him.

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

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X who has previously called himself a “freedom of speech absolutist,” posted “#freePavel” in support of Durov after the arrest.

Western governments have often criticized Telegram for its lack of content moderation, which experts say could lead to the messaging platform being used for 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 establish a legal way to report illegal content or name an entity in Germany to receive official communications, both of which are required under German laws regulating major online platforms.

Last year, Brazil temporarily suspended Telegram after it refused to release data on neo-Nazi activity in connection with a police investigation into school shootings in November.

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

Originally published: August 26, 2024 at 10:44 am