The information stated that Durov, who holds French citizenship as well, was arrested when he got off his private jet from Azerbaijan and is in custody in France after being arrested at the airport.

French justice considers that due to several reasons, including Telegram’s refusal to cooperate with the country’s authorities, Durov is involved in a series of crimes.

It adds that on Sunday, Durov might face charges, including terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud, and money laundering.

As French journalist Cyrille Amoursky wrote in a post on X, the founder of Telegram “might face up to 20 years in prison and will appear in court on Sunday.”

Vladislav Davankov, deputy chairman of the State Duma (Lower House of the Russian Parliament), did not rule out that Durov’s arrest in France might have political reasons.

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that the Russian Embassy in France is already taking action in the case of Pavel Durov, who is a Russian-born citizen.

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