Paris, Aug 26 (AP) French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that the arrest in France of the CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, wasn't a political move but part of an independent investigation.

In France's first public comment on the arrest, Macron posted on the social media platform X that his country “is deeply committed” to freedom of expression but “freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.”

Also Read | Uber Fined USD 324 Million by Dutch Data Protection Authority Over Data Transfer Breach of European Cab Drivers.

He said the arrest “is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter.”

French media reported that Durov was detained at a Paris airport on Saturday on an arrest warrant alleging his platform has been used for money laundering, drug trafficking and other offenses. (AP)

Also Read | IBM Layoffs: US Tech Giant Laying Off 1,000 Employees and Shutting Down Its R&D Division in China.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)