Macron Widely Mocked For Saying Telegram CEO’s Arrest ‘Not Politically Motivated’, by Tyler Durden

The latest update on the arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov, including French president Macron’s inane comments, from Tyler Durden at zerohedge.com:

Update(1235ET): It appears President Emmanuel Macron is feeling the pressure after French authorities arrested Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov over the weekend. The prosecutor’s office has since said his detention may last until Aug.28.

Several prominent tech entrepreneurs and public figures – for example Elon Musk – have decried the move as selective persecution against a known advocate of free speech. In a rare move Macron weighed in directly on Monday, claiming it has nothing to do with his government and that Durov’s arrest and ongoing detention is not politically motivated.

Macron said Monday, “The arrest of Telegram’s president on French territory took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. This is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to decide.” Macron further condemned what he called “false information” surrounding the case.

Below: the translated list of 12 charges Durov is facing…

This judicial investigation was opened against person unnamed, on charges of:

1. Complicity – web-mastering an online platform in order to enable an illegal transaction in organized group,
2. Refusal to communicate, at the request of competent authorities, information or documents necessary for carrying out and operating interceptions allowed by law,
3. Complicity – possessing pornographic images of minors,
4. Complicity – distributing, offering or making available pornographic images of minors, in organized group,
5. Complicity – acquiring, transporting, possessing, offering or selling narcotic substances,
6. Complicity – offering, selling or making available, without legitimate reason, equipment, tools, programs or data designed for or adapted to get access to and to damage the operation of an automated data processing system,
7. Complicity – organized fraud,
8. Criminal association with a view to committing a crime or an offense punishable by 5 or more years of imprisonment,
9. Laundering of the proceeds derived from organized group’s offences and crimes,
10. Providing cryptology services aiming to ensure confidentiality without certified declaration,
11. Providing a cryptology tool not solely ensuring authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration,
12. Importing a cryptology tool ensuring authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration.

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