Russian officials are expressing strong discontent following the arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov, who was detained on Saturday at Paris’s Le Bourget airport, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The Russian Embassy in France stated on Sunday, accusing French authorities of refusing to cooperate with their efforts to gain access to Durov. The embassy stated, “Upon hearing of P.V. Durov’s detention in the media, we immediately sought clarification from the French authorities regarding the reasons and demanded protection of his rights and consular access.
As of now, the French side has avoided addressing this issue. We are in contact with P.V. Durov’s lawyer.” Some Russian officials have characterized Durov’s arrest as a hostile action against Russia. There are conflicting reports regarding Durov’s citizenship, with some claiming he holds dual French and Russian citizenship, while others suggest he is a dual citizen of France and the UAE.
French authorities are expected to issue a statement on Monday, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office. French media have reported that Durov could face charges related to Telegram’s operations, including accusations of money laundering and facilitating illegal content on the platform.
Telegram addressed the situation for the first time on Sunday, stating that the platform complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act, and asserting that “Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and frequently travels within Europe.”
While some outlets have suggested Durov could face up to 20 years in prison, this figure was not mentioned in initial French reports.
Prominent figures in the cryptocurrency industry have shown support for Durov following his arrest, including Elon Musk, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, TRON founder Justin Sun, and Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko.
Since news of the arrest broke, the price of Toncoin (TON) has dropped by approximately 13%.
Image Credit: Pixabay
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