French President Emmanuel Macron in a press conference on Thursday revealed that he was not aware of Telegram owner and CEO Pavel Durov‘s arrival in France on August 24 and had no scheduled meeting with him.
“I was completely unaware of Mr Durov’s arrival in France, which is expected because I don’t keep track of the comings and goings of all global citizens, regardless of their nationality,” Macron said, as reported by US News.
The press conference took place during Macron’s two-day visit to Serbia from August 29 to August 30.
Durov was arrested on August 24 on multiple charges linked to alleged complicity in facilitating criminal activities on Telegram. These charges include illicit transactions, child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, and fraud, along with accusations of failing to cooperate with law enforcement. On August 28, a French judge formally placed Durov under investigation for his suspected role in enabling these illicit activities on his platform. He was granted bail of 5 million euros, with the conditions that he remain in France and report to a police station twice a week.
Macron defends decision to grant Durov French citizenship
Macron defended France’s decision to grant Durov French citizenship in 2021 under a special procedure for notable individuals. “It aligns with our strategy to grant French nationality to those who contribute to society through their talents, be they artists, athletes, or entrepreneurs, provided they learn the French language and drive innovation,” he added, according to US News.
Macron denies political involvement
Earlier, the French president had denied any political involvement in Durov’s arrest. “The arrest of Telegram’s president in France occurred as part of an ongoing judicial investigation and is not a political decision. The judges are responsible for determining the outcome,” he wrote on X.
Telegram under investigation
In February 2024, the French public prosecutor’s office initiated a preliminary investigation into Telegram in collaboration with OFIM. Following this, prosecutors filed an indictment on July 8, 2024, which led to additional inquiries by the Gendarmerie’s cybercrime unit, C3N, and France’s National Anti-Fraud Office (ONAF).
“I was completely unaware of Mr Durov’s arrival in France, which is expected because I don’t keep track of the comings and goings of all global citizens, regardless of their nationality,” Macron said, as reported by US News.
The press conference took place during Macron’s two-day visit to Serbia from August 29 to August 30.
Durov was arrested on August 24 on multiple charges linked to alleged complicity in facilitating criminal activities on Telegram. These charges include illicit transactions, child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, and fraud, along with accusations of failing to cooperate with law enforcement. On August 28, a French judge formally placed Durov under investigation for his suspected role in enabling these illicit activities on his platform. He was granted bail of 5 million euros, with the conditions that he remain in France and report to a police station twice a week.
Macron defends decision to grant Durov French citizenship
Macron defended France’s decision to grant Durov French citizenship in 2021 under a special procedure for notable individuals. “It aligns with our strategy to grant French nationality to those who contribute to society through their talents, be they artists, athletes, or entrepreneurs, provided they learn the French language and drive innovation,” he added, according to US News.
Macron denies political involvement
Earlier, the French president had denied any political involvement in Durov’s arrest. “The arrest of Telegram’s president in France occurred as part of an ongoing judicial investigation and is not a political decision. The judges are responsible for determining the outcome,” he wrote on X.
Telegram under investigation
In February 2024, the French public prosecutor’s office initiated a preliminary investigation into Telegram in collaboration with OFIM. Following this, prosecutors filed an indictment on July 8, 2024, which led to additional inquiries by the Gendarmerie’s cybercrime unit, C3N, and France’s National Anti-Fraud Office (ONAF).
