France undermines freedom of speech with Durov arrest: Zakharova
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Pavel Durov, the billionaire co-founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday evening due to an outstanding arrest warrant in France.
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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova at a press briefing on August 21, 2024 (Russian Foreign Ministry)
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated on Tuesday that the French authorities are undermining previously upheld values, such as freedom of speech, with their comments regarding the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov.
"The official Paris does not demonstrate neglect, but the destruction of earlier-declared values, including the freedom of speech," Zakharova wrote on Telegram, commenting on Durov's case.
The spokeswoman specifically highlighted a statement made by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday.
"Before his statement, the French Foreign Ministry explained its refusal to comment on the situation around the Telegram founder with 'respect to the French judiciary.' Does it mean that Macron has no respect for the French judiciary?" Zakharova wrote on Telegram.
Read more: Russia calls out EU's violation of freedom of speech, media
Pavel Durov, the billionaire co-founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday evening. Durov, who was traveling from Azerbaijan on his private jet, was detained around 8 pm local time due to an outstanding arrest warrant in France.
According to French media, this comes as part of a preliminary police investigation.
The 39-year-old Russia-born entrepreneur has been residing in Dubai and holds dual citizenship in France and the UAE.
In response to criticism that the arrest was an attack on free speech and privacy, Macron stated that Durov's arrest was strictly a judicial decision and not a political one.
The Russian Embassy in France reported that the French authorities refused to provide any explanations when the embassy sought clarification regarding Durov's detention.
Read more: Why Macron backed down on deploying troops to Ukraine: Analysis
Telegram, which Durov co-founded with his brother Nikolai in 2013, now has over 900 million active users and is known for its end-to-end encrypted messaging and "channels" for quickly disseminating information.
When the war in Ukraine first started in 2022, the European Union banned Russian media outlets RT and Sputnik, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed, accusing the pair of "spreading harmful disinformation."
