UAE requests consular services for detained Telegram founder

The UAE has submitted a request to the French government to provide Emirati consular services to Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram who was arrested in the country over the weekend and holds UAE citizenship.

Durov has been living in the UAE since 2017, opening the Telegram headquarters in Dubai, and acquired citizenship in 2021. Durov is currently a citizen of four countries - Russia, the Caribbean state of St. Kitts and Nevis, France, and the UAE.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stressed that prioritising the welfare of UAE citizens, safeguarding their interests, and providing them with all aspects of support is a key priority for the UAE.

Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov was detained at the Paris-Le Bourget airport on Saturday, after arriving by a private plane from Baku, Azerbaijan. He is accused of having failed to moderate criminal activity on the platform.