President Macron Refutes Claims of Inviting Telegram Founder Durov to France
French President Emmanuel Macron Denies Inviting Telegram Founder Pavel Durov to France
President Macron Refutes Claims of Inviting Telegram Founder Durov to France French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday refuted claims that he had extended an invitation to Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the messaging app Telegram, to visit France.
Durov, who was detained upon his arrival in Paris, was later released on probation.
While Macron was in Belgrade for official talks, he addressed allegations from the French newspaper Le Canard Enchaine. The newspaper had reported that Durov was detained immediately after landing in Paris as part of an alleged invitation to the Elysee Palace.
Macron stated that he had “absolutely no idea” about Durov’s visit and emphasized that it would be “incorrect” to suggest he had invited Durov to dine at the presidential residence.
The French president defended his 2021 decision to grant Durov French citizenship, describing it as part of a broader strategy to bestow citizenship upon influential international figures who “learn the French language” and make positive contributions to France. He also noted similar citizenship grants to notable individuals such as American entrepreneur Evan Spiegel, as well as athletes and artists.
Durov’s Detention and Release
Pavel Durov, who holds dual French and Russian nationality, was detained on the evening of August 24 upon arriving from Azerbaijan at Bourget Airport in Paris. He was wanted in France, leading to his arrest.
French media reported that Durov was held for a preliminary investigation by the French National Judicial Police, which had issued a search warrant. The investigation focused on Telegram’s moderation practices, which were suspected of enabling criminal activity on the platform.
On August 28, the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that Durov, facing 12 charges including illegal transactions, child sexual abuse, fraud, and refusal to cooperate with authorities, was released on €5 million bail after 96 hours in detention. He is under judicial control and prohibited from leaving France while awaiting trial.
Prosecutor Laure Beccuau indicated that Durov’s detention was part of the “X” investigation, initiated on July 8 by Anti-Organized Crime officers, leading to the charges against him.
