Macron says Telegram CEO Pavel Durov's arrest is not political

French-Russian tech billionaire Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, will remain in French custody with authorities extending his detention into Monday, according to media reports. a

After a maximum 96-hour initial detention for questioning, a judge can either free the 39-year-old or press charges and keep him in further custody.

With Russia and Elon Musk leading a charge of questions, claims, and demands for Durov's release, French President Emmanuel Macron took to X, formerly Twitter, to denounce baseless speculation, saying: "I have seen false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov."

"France," Macron continued, "is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication," adding: "The arrest of the president of Telegram on French soil took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision."

Arrest warrant for serious crimes including drugs and money laundering

Durov, the target of a French arrest warrant, was taken into custody after his private jet landed at Le Bourget airport outside Paris on Saturday, arriving from Azerbaijan.

Currently, he is being investigated by a Gendarmerie cybersecurity unit and a National Police anti-fraud unit.

France's OFMIN, an agency tasked with preventing violence against minors, issued an arrest warrant for Durov in a preliminary investigation into alleged offenses including: fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and promotion of terrorism.

Durov is accused of failing to curb of Telegram's criminal use.

"Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act — its moderation is within industry standards," said the company in response to such accusations.

"Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe," according to a statement published Sunday, "It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform."

News.Az