Telegram founder and executive chief Pavel Durov has not shown any interest in contacting the Russian authorities, Moscow’s ambassador to France told state media Thursday.
Durov, who is originally from Russia, was detained last month at Le Bourget airport near Paris and later charged with several counts of failing to curb extremist and illegal content on the popular messaging app.
He was granted conditional release after posting bail of five million euros and is required to remain in France, reporting to a police station twice a week.
“The French treat Durov’s case as one between their state and a citizen,” Russian Ambassador Alexei Meshkov said in an interview with the state-run broadcaster Vesti. “Durov has held French citizenship for several years.”
Durov obtained both French and United Arab Emirates citizenship in 2021.
Meshkov said the Russian Embassy in Paris had repeatedly contacted French authorities for “relevant materials” on Durov’s case, but those requests were denied. “They informed us that Durov shows no interest in contacting us.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russian diplomats are taking all necessary actions and have requested consular access.
Durov left Russia in 2014 after claiming he faced pressure to share users’ private messages from the social media website VKontakte with Russian law enforcement officials.
Despite his public break with Russia, the tech entrepreneur traveled to the country more than 50 times between 2015 and 2021, the IStories investigative outlet reported, citing leaked FSB data.
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