France extends detention of Telegram chief Pavel Durov – POLITICO

“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,” the company said in the statement.

The investigative magistrate overseeing the case decided to prolong Durov’s detention beyond Sunday night, Le Monde reported. Under the French system, this initial questioning period can last up to 96 hours. Once it is over, the judge can decide whether to release him or file charges and keep him in custody.

Russian’s embassy in Paris requested access to Durov, who has French and United Arab Emirates citizenship, but said French officials were “refusing to cooperate” with their diplomatic inquiries, Russian state media reported.

In addition to being a potential diplomatic flashpoint, Durov’s arrest sparked an outcry online, with some prominent advocates of free online speech claiming it was an attempt at censorship.

Billionaire tech tycoon Musk used his own platform, X, to repost clips of an interview with Durov by Tucker Carlson in April, in which the Telegram CEO praised X under Musk’s leadership. “#FreePavel,” Musk wrote.

Italy’s right-wing Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini echoed that sentiment on Facebook, posting: “In Europe we are now under censorship … Long live freedom, of thought and speech. Who will be the next to be gagged? The great (and inconvenient) Elon Musk?”