French Officials Fear Political Consequences: Le Figaro

French officials are concerned about the political ramifications of the case involving the arrest of Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov in Paris, according to Le Figaro.

"It might be that certain agencies decided to show excessive diligence when arresting Pavel Durov after his unexpected arrival in France, even with substantial arguments. This hypothesis cannot be ruled out, and it raises contradictions within the administration, where some fear the political consequences of discussing the ‘Durov case,’" writes the publication's correspondent in Moscow, Alain Barliue.

He notes that Durov's arrest at Le Bourget Airport on the evening of August 24 has created a global 'shock wave.' The journalist believes the repercussions contradict French President Emmanuel Macron's claims that this trial is not political.

The correspondent sees another political consequence of this case in the rising tension between Moscow and Paris, especially against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where France continues to support the Kyiv regime. In this context, he lists several statements from representatives of the Russian authorities, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who emphasized that relations between Russia and France are currently at their lowest point, partly due to Paris’s stance on freedom of speech, the freedom of information dissemination, and respect for the profession of journalists.