’Closely following Telegram founder Pavel Durov’s case’: UAE calls for consular help for detained tech mogul

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government said Tuesday it had requested consular services for Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder and CEO of popular messaging app Telegram, who was recently arrested in France. Pavel Durov, a naturalised Emirati citizen, was detained by French authorities at an airport near Paris, sparking international attention.

According to reports, Durov was taken into custody on Saturday evening (August 24) at Bourget Airport after arriving on a flight from Azerbaijan. Officers from France's anti-fraud office arrested him, acting on an existing French arrest warrant.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement early Tuesday, expressing its concern and involvement in the case. The statement read, “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 also confirmed they had “submitted a request to the French government to provide him with all consular services urgently.”

Durov, 39, is a citizen of Russia, France, the UAE and the Caribbean island nation of St Kitts and Nevis, and was wanted in France as part of an investigation into crimes related to child pornography, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on the Telegram platform. 

French authorities claimed the arrest follows probes “accusing Telegram of being complicit in numerous affairs linked to drug trafficking, apology for terrorism and cyberbullying,” French daily Le Monde reported.

The arrest prompted a response from French President Emmanuel Macron, who took to social media to address the situation. In a post on X, Macron stated:

"I have seen false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov. France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so. In a state governed by the rule of law, freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights. It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law."

Macron further emphasised that Durov's arrest "took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter."

The case has drawn significant attention due to Durov's high profile in the tech world. As the founder of Telegram, which he claims has over 900 million users, Durov has been a prominent figure in discussions about online privacy and freedom of expression. He previously founded the Russian social network VKontakte but left Russia in 2014 after refusing to share user data with Russian security services.

“Telegram has become a popular hub for organised illegal activities, which include sharing of child pornographic content, financial scams, terrorist communication and piracy of copyright movies and courses. Organisations and businesses have filed over a dozen court cases to the Indian government regarding these activities,” said Siddhant Jain, CEO, VdoCipher.

“Instead of primarily being a one-on-one messaging app, it is now acting as an unmoderated/least moderated broadcast app, which brings greater implications, threat, and responsibility of moderation. Public Groups can have 10,000+ users, and anonymous information, including long-form videos, can be shared. Such possibility is not there with other platforms,” Jain added.

Durov's arrest in France marks a significant development in the ongoing debate about the responsibilities of social media platforms and their founders. As the case unfolds, it is likely to have implications for international relations, particularly between France, the UAE, and Russia, as well as for the broader tech industry and discussions about online content moderation.

The UAE's active involvement in the case highlights the complex diplomatic considerations at play, given Durov's Emirati citizenship.