The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said it was following the case of Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the much sought-after messaging application Telegram, and has expressed its concern, adding that Durov is one of its citizens.
Durov, 39, an ex-Russian citizen and the owner of the Russian social network “Vkontakte,” was arrested on Saturday in Paris-Le Bourget Airport in Paris within the framework of a trial initiated last month which concerned twelve offenses aimed at his Telegram app.
The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that it has submitted a request to the French government to provide him with all consular services urgently. The statement further pointed out that “caring for citizens, safeguarding their interests, and following up their affairs, as well as offering them all types of care, constitute a UAE priority.
Durov was born in Russia but has lived mostly in Italy and possesses citizenships of UAE, France, Russia, and the Caribbean state of St Kitts and Nevis.
Similarly, the arrest of Durov was not the political fate of Macron, President of France, who said that it was an independent investigation. In so doing, Macron said that freedom of speech and other freedoms are rights, but they are rights enjoyed within the legal provisions on social media and in actual life to safeguard people’s lives and respect their rights.
This attracted the wrath of Russian authorities, with officials calling for calm but expressing irritation. Durov’s arrest has put a strain in relations between Russia and France, as Moscow accused the West of hypocrisy on the issue of freedom of speech.
Telegram has also come out to defend itself by stating that the company complies with the laws of the European Union and that it moderates “ content … within industry standards and is continuously getting better. ” About Durov, the Telegram company has said that he “has nothing to hide and often travels in Europe. ”
In order to continue the investigation, UAE decided to provide consular service to its citizen Pavel Durov, thus showing the country’s level of concern towards its citizens in the most uncomplicated times when they are caught legally off guard.
