UAE weighs in on Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s detention by France

The United Arab Emirates has said it is following closely the case of Telegram messaging app founder and CEO Pavel Durov – who is an Emirati citizen – following his arrest and the extension of his initial detention by authorities in France.

The Russian-born Durov, 39, was detained on Saturday at Paris-Le Bourget Airport in France based on a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations involving his popular Telegram app, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.

The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement early on Tuesday that it was “closely following” Durov’s case and that it had “submitted a request to the French government to provide him with all consular services urgently”.

“Caring for citizens, preserving their interests, following up on their affairs, and providing them with all aspects of care are a top priority for the UAE,” the ministry said in the statement.

Though born in Russia, Durov spent much of his childhood in Italy and is a citizen of the UAE, France, Russia, and the Caribbean island nation of St Kitts and Nevis.

In his first public comment on the arrest, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that it was not a political move but part of an independent investigation.

Posting on social media, Macron said that France “is deeply committed” to freedom of expression but “freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights”.France and the UAE maintain a close military relationship, with the French operating a naval base in Abu Dhabi and Emirati forces using French-built Leclerc tanks and Rafale fighter jets, according to reports.

Russian government officials have expressed outrage at Durov’s detention, with some calling it politically motivated and proof of the West’s double standard on freedom of speech.

The relationship between Russia and France is at its “lowest” level following the Durov’s arrest, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.

France had levelled “very serious” charges against Durov, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, as it warned against trying to intimidate him.

“The charges are indeed very serious, they require no less serious evidence. Otherwise this would be a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication, and, I might even say, directly intimidate the head of a large company,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

“That is to say, precisely the policy that Mr Macron denied yesterday,” Peskov added.

Telegram in a statement defended its operations, saying it abides by European Union laws and its content moderation is “within industry standards and constantly improving”.

Durov, the company added, had “nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe”.

French media reports that Durov was detained on an arrest warrant alleging his messaging platform had been used for money laundering, drug trafficking and other offences.

A French investigative judge extended Durov’s detention order on Sunday night, French media reported, but he had not been charged and few details were available on the investigation.

A statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office said Durov’s police custody order was extended on Monday evening for up to 48 hours.