French President Emmanuel Macron has denied any involvement in the arrest and detention of Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, who was detained at Le Bourget airport in Paris. Durov allegedly claimed he was in the city to meet Macron for dinner, which Macron has vehemently denied.
Macron emphasized that he was unaware of Durov’s visit and reiterated France’s commitment to freedom of expression and supporting entrepreneurs. Durov was released on bail of €5 million after being charged with various offenses.
His lawyer defended him, stating that it was absurd to link Durov to criminal activities, given that Telegram complies with EU laws. The incident sparked international backlash, with accusations that France was attempting to censor the platform.
Durov, a citizen of Russia, France, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis, co-founded Telegram with his brother a decade ago. The encrypted messenger app now boasts nearly a billion users worldwide, becoming popular in regions like Russia and Ukraine.
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