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Pavel Durov's detention

Durov’s detention raises question if Western NGOs demand his release — diplomat

Maria Zakharova emphasized that the Russian embassy "has immediately started working" on his detention, "as it supposed to in a case, when information comes that the receiving side has detained a Russian citizen"

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Peter Kovalev/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Peter Kovalev/TASS

MOSCOW, August 25. /TASS/. The Paris’ decision to detain Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov raises a question whether international organization will demand his release or will "swallow their tongues," Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

The diplomat pointed out that back in 2018, a group of 26 NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, Reporters Without Borders and others, condemned the Russian court’s ruling to block Telegram.

"Do you think they will call on Paris this time and demand Durov’s release or will they swallow their tongues?" the diplomat said on her Telegram channel.

"There were legislative complaints to Telegram [back in 2018], which many countries had due to the technical parameters of its encryption system," the spokeswoman explained, pointing out that Durov remained free and continued to develop his messenger during that period.

The diplomat emphasized that the Russian embassy "has immediately started working" on his detention, "as it supposed to in a case, when information comes that the receiving side has detained a Russian citizen."

"There is no need to remind our diplomat about their duties," Zakharova added.

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