French president Macron says arrest of Telegram CEO was ‘in no way a political decision’

French President Emmanuel Macron said Telegram CEO Pavel Durov's arrest was “in no way a political decision” and part of an ongoing judicial investigation.

Macron wrote in a post on X on Monday that France is “deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship.”

“In a state governed by the rule of law, freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights,” Macron said.

Macron’s statement came after Durov was arrested at Paris’ Le Bourget airport on Saturday. His arrest quickly prompted the Russian Embassy in France to release a statement alleging the French authorities were refusing to engage in their attempts at accessing Durov.

The United Arab Emirates’ foreign ministry also said in a statement today that it was “closely following” the case. “[The] UAE has submitted a request to the Government of the French Republic to provide him with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner,” the ministry’s communications director said.

On Monday, French authorities—the Tribunal Judiciaire de Paris — said Durov was arrested for a cybercrime investigation that included allegations of offering “cryptology” services. According to the French prosecutors, Durov can be held in police custody until August 28.

Several public figures in the crypto industry have requested more details about the arrest or expressed support for Durov. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, X and SpaceX, replied to Macron in a post today: “It would be helpful to the global public to understand more details about why he was arrested.”

Update: added statement from the UAE government