
French President Emmanuel Macron has commented for the first time on the arrest of the founder of the messaging platform Telegram, Pavel Durov, saying that the whole matter belongs to the judiciary and that France is a country committed to freedom of expression and communication. .
Macron has not hidden his disappointment about how the issue is being handled on social media, where France has also been slandered about this arrest, while emphasizing that the arrest is not a political decision.
"I saw false information about France after the arrest of Pavel Durov. France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation and the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so," Macron referred to the case.
He further wrote: “In a state of law, freedoms are preserved within a legal framework, both in social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.
It is up to the judiciary, in complete independence, to apply the law.
The arrest of Telegram's president on French soil was made as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to decide on this issue."
arrest
The CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, has been arrested by the French Police at an airport north of Paris.
Durov was arrested after his private jet landed at Le Bourget airport, French media reported.
The 39-year-old billionaire was arrested on a trespassing warrant related to the popular messaging app, according to authorities.
The investigation is said to be about a lack of moderators, with Durov accused of failing to take steps to curb criminal uses of Telegram.
Neither Telegram nor Durov gave an immediate response to the incident.
Additionally, the French Interior Ministry and local police declined to comment.
Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry has expressed concern about Durov's arrest and is said to be taking steps to clarify the situation. They also questioned whether Western NGOs would intervene on Durov's behalf.