The tech chief currently remains in policy custody. The arrest follows probes “accusing Telegram of being complicit in numerous affairs linked to drug trafficking, apology for terrorism and cyberbullying,” French daily Le Monde reported.
In a statement, Telegram said that its CEO — a Russian-born French-Emirati citizen — had “nothing to hide” and that the company abided by EU law.
Prominent voices, both in the tech industry and within official Russian circles, were quick to call out Durov’s arrest.
Russian senator Alexei Pushkov called France a “liberal dictatorship” which “does not tolerate individuals who claim freedom” in a Telegram post.
“#FreePavel,” X owner Elon Musk posted on his own platform. Edward Snowden, the Russia-based American whistleblower, accused Macron of having “descended to the level of taking hostages as a means for gaining access to private communications.”
The French president wasn’t having that.
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