The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested urgent consular assistance for Pavel Durov, the Dubai-based founder of Telegram, following his arrest in France on allegations of failing to curb criminal activity on his popular messaging platform.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it is closely monitoring the situation involving Durov, a dual citizen of the UAE and France. “The UAE has submitted a request to the Government of the French Republic to urgently provide him with all necessary consular services,” the ministry stated.
Durov, a 39-year-old billionaire and tech mogul, was detained at Paris–Le Bourget Airport late on Saturday. He faces accusations related to the spread of illegal content on Telegram, which boasts over 900 million users worldwide. However, Telegram has denied these accusations, asserting that the platform complies with EU regulations, including the Digital Services Act.
On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron dismissed any speculation of a political motive behind Durov’s arrest, as the Telegram founder spent a second day in custody. French authorities extended Durov’s detention for questioning until Wednesday, according to sources close to the investigation.
Durov, who also holds Russian citizenship, founded Telegram after leaving Russia a decade ago. His current net worth is estimated at $15.5 billion by Forbes magazine. Despite his detention, Telegram issued a statement on Sunday asserting that Durov “has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe,” adding that it is “absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.”
The Kremlin, meanwhile, expressed its lack of information regarding the reasons for Durov’s detention. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, “We do not know exactly what Durov is accused of.”
As the situation unfolds, the UAE continues to advocate for Durov’s rights, emphasizing the importance of due process and consular support for its citizen.
