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Pavel Durov's detention

Paris prosecutor’s office to make statement on Durov’s detention on Monday

According to the media, the Telegram messenger founder might be charged with terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering and child pornography

Pavel Durov REUTERS/Albert Gea

Pavel Durov

© REUTERS/Albert Gea

PARIS, August 25. /TASS/. The Paris prosecutor’s office will make a statement on the detention of Telegram messenger founder Pavel Durov on Monday, August 26, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office told TASS.

"A press statement will be issued tomorrow," he said when asked to clarify the causes for Durov’s detention and his current status.

The LCI television channel reported earlier that Durov had been arrested at Le Bourget Airport late on August 24. He has been placed in custody and may soon be brought to court, the TF1 television channel said. According to TF1, Durov might be charged with terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering and child pornography.

Currently, entire information about Durov’s detention is coming from the French media while official agencies are keeping silent. Both the French interior and justice ministries refused from commenting on the case either to TASS or to Western media. The Paris police department said that they know nothing about this case. The Russian embassy in Paris said it had demanded that the French authorities observe Durov’s rights but Paris is dodging cooperation on this matter.

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