French President Emmanuel Macron has defended his decision to grant fast-track citizenship to Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, who is currently under indictment, according to international news outlets reports.
Speaking during a visit to Serbia, Macron stated that “offering citizenship to prominent individuals who learn French and contribute to France is beneficial for the country.” He emphasized that this approach is “part of a broader strategy to reward people who bring innovation and wealth to France, regardless of their background.”
Macron denied any prior knowledge of Durov’s travel to France before his arrest. He described the arrest as a separate matter handled by French justice, and rejected claims that he had extended any personal invitation to Durov.
French prosecutors have accused Durov of complicity in criminal activities on Telegram, including drug trafficking and distributing child abuse material, and of failing to cooperate with investigations. Durov’s lawyer, David-Olivier Kaminski, has dismissed these accusations as “absurd.”
The arrest has sparked debates about freedom of speech, privacy, and online regulation. Prominent figures such as Elon Musk, Edward Snowden, and Andy Yen have criticized the case, while Russia has expressed concerns about potential political motivations behind the prosecution.