On Thursday, the Kremlin cautioned France against turning the criminal case against Telegram founder Pavel Durov into an instance of “political persecution.” This warning follows Durov’s recent arrest in Paris, which Russia views as politically motivated amidst its broader crackdown on political dissent during the Ukraine conflict.
Durov, who was born in Russia but also holds French citizenship, faces several charges in France related to his alleged failure to control extremist and illegal content on Telegram, a widely used social media platform.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized, “It is crucial that the situation in France does not devolve into political persecution.” He further stated, “We regard him as a Russian citizen and will offer as much assistance as possible,” and added, “We will be closely monitoring developments.”
Durov was granted conditional release on a bail of five million euros, with the stipulation that he report to a police station twice a week and remain within France, according to French prosecutors.
French President Emmanuel Macron has rejected claims that Durov’s arrest was politically motivated. Telegram remains one of the most popular messaging apps in Russia.
Russian officials have been quick to support Durov since his arrest at a Paris airport last weekend.