The Russian government has warned France that pursuing criminal charges against Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, could be considered “political persecution.” Durov, a Russian-born French citizen, was detained in Paris for allegedly failing to control illegal content on the messaging platform. He was released on bail but must stay in France and report regularly to the police.

Russia Issues Warning to France Over Telegram Founder’s Arrest

The Russian government has issued a stark warning to France, urging it to avoid turning the legal case against Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, into a matter of “political persecution.”

Amid its ongoing crackdown on political dissent, Russia has characterized Durov’s unexpected detention in Paris as potentially politically driven. Durov, who holds both Russian and French citizenship, faces charges from French authorities for not properly managing extremist content on Telegram. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stressed:

The main thing is for what is happening in France not to run into political persecution.

Durov was apprehended last weekend at Le Bourget airport in Paris and was held for four days before being released on a €5 million ($5.53 million) bail. He must stay in France and report to a police station twice weekly. Russian officials have voiced their support for Durov, citing his Russian citizenship and their readiness to assist him.

Peskov added:

Of course, we consider him a Russian citizen and as much as possible we will be ready to provide assistance … We will be watching what happens next.

Additionally, there are reports that Durov had been scheduled to dine with French President Emmanuel Macron around the time of his arrest, adding to the speculation surrounding the charges. Durov’s lawyers argue that the accusations lack merit and are politically motivated, noting that previous discussions with Macron included the possibility of moving Telegram’s headquarters to Paris.