Telegram founder faces serious accusations, Kremlin ready to assist

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday that the accusations against the founder of the Telegram messaging app, Russian Pavel Durov, from France, demand serious evidence. He added that Russia is ready to provide the billionaire with the needed support.

"The charges are indeed very serious," Peskov told reporters. As he added, the accusations "require no less serious evidence."

Otherwise, it will be a direct attempt to restrict the freedom of communication," he declared.

Russia unsuccessfully tried in the past to block access to Telegram and fined the company several times for failing to remove content that Moscow deemed illegal, Reuters reminded.

Peskov noted that Russia is ready to provide Durov with the necessary support because he is a Russian citizen. However, he admitted that the situation is complicated by Durov's being also a French citizen. Additionally, the Telegram founder holds a passport from the United Arab Emirates.

The Kremlin spokesperson said that Durov's case could be seen as an attempt to intimidate the head of a large enterprise and cast doubt on French President Emmanuel Macron's statement that the detention of the Russian did not result from a "political decision," Reuters reported.

Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget Airport in Paris. On Monday, his detention was extended until Wednesday.

The 39-year-old Russian, who flew to Paris directly from Azerbaijan, was wanted by the French judiciary for failing to cooperate with law enforcement authorities in connection with the activities of the messaging app he created, which has been used by criminals.

Durov may face charges in connection with terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering, and the distribution of paedophilic content.