Russian President Vladimir Putin did not have a meeting with Telegram CEO Pavel Durov during his visit to Azerbaijan last week, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The statement comes amidst speculation surrounding the arrest of Durov in French custody after he was detained at a Paris airport on Saturday. Despite numerous media outlets reporting that Putin and Durov were visiting Baku at the same time, Peskov dismissed these claims, stating there is no evidence to support them.
The French authorities have yet to provide details regarding the charges faced by Russian tech mogul and Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, who is also a citizen of France, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis. The arrest has sparked controversy, with numerous opinion leaders from both the West and Russia criticizing it as a crackdown on free speech and suggesting that the US may be behind the arrest.
Telegram has denied any wrongdoing on Durov’s part, stating it is “absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” However, Peskov remains cautious about commenting on the situation, saying, “We don’t know what he’s accused of. We have not heard any official statements on the matter. We have to wait for the situation to clear up before we say anything.
The arrest of Durov has raised questions about his potential meeting with Putin during the Russian president’s visit to Baku on August 18 and 19. While some media outlets reported that the pair were visiting the city at the same time and even claimed they had a secret meeting, Peskov dismissed these claims, stating there is no evidence to support them.