Kremlin Warns France Against “Political Persecution” of Telegram Founder

In a surprising turn of events, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris earlier this week, sparking a heated debate over the motives behind the move. The Russian government has now issued a warning to France, urging it to avoid turning the case against Durov into “political persecution.”

Durov, who has both Russian and French citizenship, was charged with multiple counts of failing to curb extremist and illegal content on the popular social media platform. According to French prosecutors, he was granted conditional release against a bail of five million euros, with the condition that he report to a police station twice a week and remain in France.

Russia has fiercely defended Durov, accusing France of making a politically motivated arrest. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized the importance of avoiding political persecution, stating, “The main thing is for what is happening in France not to run into political persecution.”

Despite the Russian government’s swift defense of Durov, France has maintained that the arrest was necessary to address concerns over the spread of illegal content on Telegram. The platform has long been a hub for extremist and illegal activity, and France has sought to hold the founder accountable for failing to take sufficient action to curb this content.

Durov’s arrest has sent shockwaves through the tech community, with many watching closely to see how the situation develops. As Russian officials continue to rally behind Durov, it remains to be seen whether France will stand firm in its pursuit of justice or relent in the face of international pressure.

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