No political motive behind Telegram founder's arrest - French president

French President Emmanuel Macron has denied any political motive behind Telegram founder Pavel Durov's detention at the Le Bourget airport outside Paris on Saturday evening.

Russian-born Durov (above) was arrested in France as part of an investigation into crimes related to child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on the platform.

"The arrest of the Telegram founder on French territory occurred as part of an ongoing judicial investigation.

"This is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to decide," Reuters reported Macron as saying on X.

In a subsequent statement, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the 39-year-old billionaire, cast as "Russia's Mark Zuckerberg", was arrested as part of a probe into an unnamed person by the office's cybercrime unit on July 8.

The investigation pertains to suspected complicity in various crimes, including running an online platform that allows illicit transactions, child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking and fraud, as well as the refusal to communicate information to the authorities, money laundering and providing cryptographic services to criminals.

Telegram is a popular social media application that allows encrypted messaging, with close to one billion users worldwide.

X owner Elon Musk reportedly criticised Durov's detention, claiming that free speech is under attack in Europe.

Durov's arrest comes amid mounting tensions between France and Russia for months in relation to the former's support for Ukraine in the war against Russia.

'All laws followed'

Following the arrest, Telegram said that it had abided by European Union laws and its moderation was "within industry standards and constantly improving".

"Telegram's CEO has nothing to do and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abuse of that platform," the company said in a statement.

A Russian government spokesperson said the Kremlin is also yet to see any "official" accusations against Durov.

"We do not yet know what exactly Durov is accused of. What exactly are they trying to incriminate Durov with? Without (knowing), it would probably be wrong to make any statements," Dmitry Peskov reportedly told a press conference.

The Russian embassy in Paris has also accused the French authorities of not cooperating with its requests for consular access to Durov. It is in touch with his lawyer.

Durov, who Forbes estimates to be worth US$15.5 billion, has dual French and United Arab Emirates citizenship. He reportedly obtained his French passport in 2021 through a rare, fast-track procedure which exempts high-profile foreigners from the usual legal requirements.

Locally, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil previously accused Telegram of alleged misuse of accounts for pornography and the sale of prohibited substances such as drugs.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said it will introduce a new regulatory framework for safe internet use on Aug 1, with implementation set for Jan 1, 2025.

Under the new framework, social media and internet messaging services with at least eight million registered users in Malaysia must apply for an Application Service Provider Class Licence under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588).

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