PARIS, August 26. /TASS/. The prolonged arrest of Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov expires on August 28, the Paris Prosecutor’s office announced.

"The custody period was extended until the 25th August 2024 by an investigative magistrate and can last up to 96 hours (that being the 28th August 2024) given the applicable procedure for organized crime offences, as referred to above," the prosecutor’s office said.

Pavel Durov was detained in the Le Bourget airport in Paris on August 24; on the next day, his custody period was prolonged to 96 hours. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that his decision was not political and called to wait for the judges’ ruling. According to Macron, "France remains committed to the freedom of speech, innovation and business."

The Russian Embassy in France told TASS that it intends to ensure that Durov’s rights are protected and to achieve consular access to him, but "France has been avoiding cooperation on this issue so far." Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added that Durov’s French citizenship poses a problem, because, for French authorities, he is a French citizen first and foremost.