France Tramples on Press Freedom With Criminal Proceedings Against Durov: Russia
Russian FM Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, 2024. PHoto: X/ @LordDracula91
August 28, 2024 Hour: 11:18 am
The Telegram CEO was brought before a judge with a view to his potential indictment in a case involving a dozen charges.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called on international organizations to condemn the legal persecution of Pavel Durov, the founder of the encrypted messaging platform Telegram.
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“All of this once again demonstrates the true attitude of the French government, which has blatantly trampled on international norms regarding the protection of freedom of expression and the manifestation of opinions,” she said.
“If France defends certain norms, it must not only remain true to them but also safeguard and uphold them. While tens of millions of social media users express their outrage and members of the financial community are in ‘shock,’ the neoliberal elites remain deathly silent.”
“Therefore, it is necessary for international institutions to fulfill their mandate regarding the protection of freedom of expression and the dissemination of information, and to condemn the steps taken by the French authorities to restrict these freedoms,” Zakharova stressed.
On Wednesday, Pavel Durov was brought before a judge with a view to his potential indictment in a case involving a dozen charges. This will be his first appearance before the French courts since his arrest on August 24, following the expiration of the maximum legal period for his provisional detention.
Durov is under investigation in a case involving 12 charges related to the dissemination of criminal content via Telegram—a platform with nearly one billion users—including drug trafficking, child pornography, and fraud.
The list of charges includes complicity in managing an online platform that facilitates illicit transactions by organized crime groups, refusal to cooperate with authorities by sharing documents or information necessary to prevent illegal activities, and complicity in fraud and drug trafficking, according to the Paris Prosecutor’s Office.
The 39-year-old Russian billionaire was arrested after landing in a private jet at the private Le Bourget airport near Paris. Durov, who also holds French and United Arab Emirates (UAE) citizenship, resides in Dubai, where Telegram is headquartered.
Following the arrest of its founder and CEO, Telegram issued a statement asserting that the platform “complies with EU laws, including the Digital Services Act” and that “its moderation is within industry standards and is constantly improving. Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently throughout Europe. It is absurd to hold a platform or its owner responsible for abuses on their platform.”
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
