France’s Macron denies Pavel Durov arrest was political

French President Emmanuel Macron has issued a statement on social media calling the arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov “in no way a political decision.”

In an Aug. 26 X post, President Macron said Durov’s arrest on Aug. 24 at an airport outside Paris was “part of an ongoing judicial investigation” involving the Telegram founder. The French president said his statement was in response to “false information” being spread on X regarding alleged violations against free speech.

Source: Emmanuel Macron

Since Durov’s arrest, many have speculated on social media about potential charges. On Aug. 25, Telegram issued a statement expressing its support for its founder and hope for a quick resolution.

Related: Telegram founder Pavel Durov arrested — What we know so far

On Aug. 24, Durov flew from Azerbaijan to France on a private jet, landing at Le Bourget airport north of Paris. Authorities arrested the Telegram founder, but it was unclear whether they intended to charge him with any activities related to the messaging app.

As of Aug. 26, reports suggested that Durov was still in custody in France. Even without details of his alleged crimes, the arrest has already sparked backlash from many high-profile figures calling for his release, including Tesla CEO and X Chairman Elon Musk.

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This is a developing story, and further information will be added as it becomes available.