Iran Press/Europe: َThe Kremlin said on Tuesday that serious accusations France has levelled against Telegram boss Pavel Durov would be viewed as an attempt to restrict freedom of communication unless they were backed up with serious evidence, Reuters reported.
Durov, a Russian-born billionaire, was arrested in France over the weekend as part of an investigation into crimes related to images of child sex abuse, drug trafficking, and fraudulent transactions on the platform, French prosecutors said on Monday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call that Russia was ready to provide Durov with all necessary assistance given his Russian citizenship. Still, he said Durov's French citizenship complicated the situation.
Durov also holds a UAE passport.
"The charges are very serious indeed," said Peskov. "They require a no less serious basis of evidence. Otherwise, they will be a direct attempt to limit freedom of communication."
Peskov said Durov's case could be seen as intimidation of the head of a large company and cast doubt on an assertion by French President Emmanuel Macron that there was no political motive in Durov's detention. 204
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Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Arrested in Paris
