٠٠:٠١:٢١CEO and Founder of the Telegram messaging app Pavel Durov is scheduled to appear in the French High Court in Paris following his arrest at Le Bourget Airport near the French capital on Saturday night.
French reports claim Durov was arrested shortly after landing, having flown from Azerbaijan to the Bourget airport aboard his private jet.
The French OFMIN agency, which prevents violence against minors, had issued an arrest warrant for Durov as part of an investigation into alleged offences, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organised crime and the promotion of terrorism on Telegram.
Telegram responded to Durov's arrest in a statement on their platform.
"It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform," the statement said.
Deputy Chair of the Russian State Duma Vladislav Davankov urged Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to ensure the release of the entrepreneur.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reported that the embassy in Paris 'immediately swung into action' following the detention.
Meanwhile, Russia's representative to international organisations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, accused France of 'moving towards totalitarianism.'
Billionaire owner of social media platform X, Elon Musk, denounced Durov's detention, saying, "It's 2030 in Europe, and you're being executed for liking a meme." US House of Representatives member Marjorie Taylor-Green also claimed, "Freedom of speech is under attack around the world."
Telegram CEO and founder Pavel Durov to appear in French court following arrest in Paris
CEO and Founder of the Telegram messaging app Pavel Durov is scheduled to appear in the French High Court in Paris following his arrest at Le Bourget Airport near the French capital on Saturday night.
French reports claim Durov was arrested shortly after landing, having flown from Azerbaijan to the Bourget airport aboard his private jet.
The French OFMIN agency, which prevents violence against minors, had issued an arrest warrant for Durov as part of an investigation into alleged offences, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organised crime and the promotion of terrorism on Telegram.
Telegram responded to Durov's arrest in a statement on their platform.
"It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform," the statement said.
Deputy Chair of the Russian State Duma Vladislav Davankov urged Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to ensure the release of the entrepreneur.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reported that the embassy in Paris 'immediately swung into action' following the detention.
Meanwhile, Russia's representative to international organisations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, accused France of 'moving towards totalitarianism.'
Billionaire owner of social media platform X, Elon Musk, denounced Durov's detention, saying, "It's 2030 in Europe, and you're being executed for liking a meme." US House of Representatives member Marjorie Taylor-Green also claimed, "Freedom of speech is under attack around the world."
CEO and Founder of the Telegram messaging app Pavel Durov is scheduled to appear in the French High Court in Paris following his arrest at Le Bourget Airport near the French capital on Saturday night.
French reports claim Durov was arrested shortly after landing, having flown from Azerbaijan to the Bourget airport aboard his private jet.
The French OFMIN agency, which prevents violence against minors, had issued an arrest warrant for Durov as part of an investigation into alleged offences, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organised crime and the promotion of terrorism on Telegram.
Telegram responded to Durov's arrest in a statement on their platform.
"It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform," the statement said.
Deputy Chair of the Russian State Duma Vladislav Davankov urged Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to ensure the release of the entrepreneur.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reported that the embassy in Paris 'immediately swung into action' following the detention.
Meanwhile, Russia's representative to international organisations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, accused France of 'moving towards totalitarianism.'
Billionaire owner of social media platform X, Elon Musk, denounced Durov's detention, saying, "It's 2030 in Europe, and you're being executed for liking a meme." US House of Representatives member Marjorie Taylor-Green also claimed, "Freedom of speech is under attack around the world."