Was Durov to have dinner with Macron on night of his arrest? A report claims...

Pavel Durov, the CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport near Paris. This arrest is part of a judicial investigation into several serious allegations, including complicity in the sale of child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, fraud, and involvement in organized crime.

Additionally, Durov is accused of failing to provide the required information and documents to investigators.

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the situation on Monday, clarifying that the arrest was not politically motivated but a result of an independent legal inquiry.

President Macron emphasised that while France is committed to upholding freedom of expression, this freedom operates within a legal framework designed to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.

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However, there is more to the story than meets the eye, particularly in regards to what President Macron claims.

Reports emerged that Durov was scheduled to have dinner with Macron on the night of his arrest. According to a report by Russian state-owned media outlet Sputnik, based on information from French investigative newspaper Le Canard Enchaine, Durov told Paris Police that he was set to meet President Macron for dinner on the day of his arrest.

This has led to accusations from some quarters that the arrest might be politically motivated. Florian Philippot, leader of the Les Patriots Party, criticised President Macron, suggesting that the arrest was a deceitful act to target defenders of freedom of expression.

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However, Macron’s office has denied all of these claims.

It should be noted that Macron had previously invited Durov to relocate Telegram’s headquarters from Dubai to Paris during a 2018 lunch meeting. Macron also discussed the possibility of granting French citizenship to Durov.

However, Durov declined the offer. The timing of these past discussions and the current investigation has led to speculation about potential connections between them.

In addition to the arrest, there are concerns that Durov may face restrictions on leaving France if he is charged. Financial Times reported that, according to a Paris-based lawyer, Durov could be subject to measures such as house arrest or a travel ban if charged. The lawyer noted that investigators might seek additional information from Durov or extend his detention to apply pressure.

Durov, who holds multiple citizenships including French, was reportedly detained at the National Anti-Fraud Unit’s facility in the Paris suburbs. This unit is handling the investigation into his case. If charged, Durov could face up to 20 years in prison for the alleged crimes linked to his app.