The Kremlin has by no means made any offers with Telegram boss Pavel Durov, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned on Friday, including that he was not conscious of any conferences between the tech entrepreneur and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A French decide put Russian-born Durov below formal investigation on Wednesday for suspected complicity in working a web based platform that enables illicit transactions, baby intercourse abuse pictures, drug trafficking and fraud.
Durov’s lawyer mentioned on Thursday it was “absurd” to recommend he must be held chargeable for any crimes dedicated on the app.
“There have been no negotiations between Durov and the Kremlin,” Peskov advised reporters. “And the truth that he visited Russia, effectively, he’s a Russian citizen, he strikes freely, so naturally he visited Russia.
“There have been no offers between the Kremlin and Durov,” Peskov mentioned in response to additional questions.
Peskov mentioned that so far as he was conscious, Putin and Durov had by no means met.
Russia, after years of stress on Durov and his tech ventures, has rallied behind him, with Peskov this week saying that the case in opposition to him shouldn’t turn into political persecution.
Moscow tried and failed to dam Telegram, which has nearly 1 billion customers, in 2018, and has demanded the platform hand over knowledge up to now, one thing Durov says he refused to do.
The case has plunged Franco-Russian relations to new lows, based on Moscow, the place some pro-Kremlin figures have accused Washington of being behind the detention of Durov, one thing Paris has denied.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)