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Emmanuel Macron says he was not aware of Telegram's Durov's arrival in France

Reuters |
Aug 30, 2024 01:37 AM IST

Telegram owner Pavel Durov was arrested by French police after his jet landed at an airport near Paris.

French President Emmanuel Macron was not aware of Telegram owner Pavel Durov's arrival in France on Saturday and had not been scheduled to meet him, he told a news conference on Thursday during a two-day visit in Serbia.

French President Emmanuel Macron looks on during a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (not pictured), at the Palace of Serbia building in Belgrade, Serbia, August 29, 2024.(Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron looks on during a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (not pictured), at the Palace of Serbia building in Belgrade, Serbia, August 29, 2024.(Reuters)

"I was absolutely unaware of Mr Durov's arrival in France, and that is quite normal because I'm not aware of the comings and goings of citizens from all over the world, whether they have French citizenship or not," Macron said.

Durov was arrested by French police after his jet landed at an airport near Paris. On Wednesday, a French judge put Durov, who has French and UAE citizenship, under formal investigation for suspected complicity in running an online platform that allows illicit transactions, child sex abuse images, drug trafficking and fraud.

Also Read | Questioning of Telegram's Durov ends, heads to French investigative judge

Macron also defended France's decision in 2021 to give Durov French citizenship under a rare procedure for high-profile individuals.

"It's part of a strategy to allow women and men, whether artists, athletes or entrepreneurs, when they make the effort to learn the French language and that they develop wealth, innovation ... to be given French nationality," Macron said.

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