02:40Russian Presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that without 'serious evidence' Paris' accusations against Telegram founder Pavel Durov could amount to 'direct intimidation', speaking with journalists in Moscow on Tuesday.
"The charges are indeed very serious. They require an equally serious evidence base. Otherwise it is a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication. And we can say that even a direct intimidation of the head of a large company. To put it another way, this is politics, which [President Emmanuel] Macron denied yesterday," Peskov said.
In addition, the Kremlin speaker stressed that Russia would provide all necessary assistance to the Russian citizen, but the situation was complicated by the fact that he had French citizenship too. He also holds UAE and St Kitts and Nevis citizenship.
Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport in France on Saturday, 24 August. On Monday, French prosecutors confirmed that they detained Durov 'in the context' of an investigation involving child pornography, drug trafficking and financial transactions.
President Emmanuel Macron claimed it was 'in no way a political decision' and "part of an investigation that is not yet complete". The Russian Foreign Ministry requested consular access while the UAE stated that it had "submitted a request to the Government of the French Republic to provide him with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner".
Telegram claimed that its 39-year-old CEO had 'nothing to hide' and that its 'moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving'.
"It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform," the statement continued.
Pavel Durov launched the Russian social network VK in 2006, holding the post of company's CEO for eight years. In 2013, the entrepreneur founded the Telegram messaging app, headquartered in Dubai since 2017.
Kremlin warns France against 'direct intimidation of Telegram's Durov
Russian Presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that without 'serious evidence' Paris' accusations against Telegram founder Pavel Durov could amount to 'direct intimidation', speaking with journalists in Moscow on Tuesday.
"The charges are indeed very serious. They require an equally serious evidence base. Otherwise it is a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication. And we can say that even a direct intimidation of the head of a large company. To put it another way, this is politics, which [President Emmanuel] Macron denied yesterday," Peskov said.
In addition, the Kremlin speaker stressed that Russia would provide all necessary assistance to the Russian citizen, but the situation was complicated by the fact that he had French citizenship too. He also holds UAE and St Kitts and Nevis citizenship.
Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport in France on Saturday, 24 August. On Monday, French prosecutors confirmed that they detained Durov 'in the context' of an investigation involving child pornography, drug trafficking and financial transactions.
President Emmanuel Macron claimed it was 'in no way a political decision' and "part of an investigation that is not yet complete". The Russian Foreign Ministry requested consular access while the UAE stated that it had "submitted a request to the Government of the French Republic to provide him with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner".
Telegram claimed that its 39-year-old CEO had 'nothing to hide' and that its 'moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving'.
"It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform," the statement continued.
Pavel Durov launched the Russian social network VK in 2006, holding the post of company's CEO for eight years. In 2013, the entrepreneur founded the Telegram messaging app, headquartered in Dubai since 2017.
Russian Presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that without 'serious evidence' Paris' accusations against Telegram founder Pavel Durov could amount to 'direct intimidation', speaking with journalists in Moscow on Tuesday.
"The charges are indeed very serious. They require an equally serious evidence base. Otherwise it is a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication. And we can say that even a direct intimidation of the head of a large company. To put it another way, this is politics, which [President Emmanuel] Macron denied yesterday," Peskov said.
In addition, the Kremlin speaker stressed that Russia would provide all necessary assistance to the Russian citizen, but the situation was complicated by the fact that he had French citizenship too. He also holds UAE and St Kitts and Nevis citizenship.
Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport in France on Saturday, 24 August. On Monday, French prosecutors confirmed that they detained Durov 'in the context' of an investigation involving child pornography, drug trafficking and financial transactions.
President Emmanuel Macron claimed it was 'in no way a political decision' and "part of an investigation that is not yet complete". The Russian Foreign Ministry requested consular access while the UAE stated that it had "submitted a request to the Government of the French Republic to provide him with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner".
Telegram claimed that its 39-year-old CEO had 'nothing to hide' and that its 'moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving'.
"It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform," the statement continued.
Pavel Durov launched the Russian social network VK in 2006, holding the post of company's CEO for eight years. In 2013, the entrepreneur founded the Telegram messaging app, headquartered in Dubai since 2017.