The Kremlin cautioned France on Thursday against transforming the criminal case involving Telegram founder Pavel Durov into “political persecution.”
Russia, amidst its crackdown on political dissenters amid the Ukraine offensive, portrayed Durov’s unexpected arrest in Paris as politically driven.
France has accused Russian-born Durov, who holds French citizenship, of multiple charges related to the failure to control extremist and illicit content on the popular social media platform.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized the importance of avoiding political persecution in France, stating, “We consider him a Russian citizen and will offer assistance as much as possible.” Peskov also mentioned, “We will closely monitor the developments.”
Durov has been granted conditional release on a €5 million bail, requiring him to report to a police station twice a week and stay in France, as stated by French prosecutors.
In contrast, French President Emmanuel Macron refuted any claims that the arrest was politically driven. Telegram stands as one of Russia’s most favored messaging applications.
Russian authorities have swiftly come to Durov’s defense following his arrest at a Paris airport over the weekend.
