MOSCOW, Aug 25 (Bernama-Sputnik) -- Representatives of businessman Pavel Durov did not contact the Russian embassy in France in connection with his detention; embassy diplomats began working on this situation long before the appeal of Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Vladislav Davankov, the Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.
Davankov previously said that he had sent an appeal to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calling for Durov's release.
"In connection with the information about Durov's detention, the Russian embassy in France immediately took the necessary steps in such cases to clarify the situation around the Russian citizen, despite the absence of an appeal from the businessman's representatives," the Foreign Ministry said.
Diplomats "began this work long before Davankov's appeal", it added.
Earlier, French media reported that Durov had been detained at the airport in the Paris suburb of Le Bourget. Durov, who has French citizenship, was on France's wanted list. He was taken into custody. According to media reports, the French justice system believes that a number of reasons, including Telegram's refusal to cooperate with the country's authorities, make Durov involved in a number of crimes.
-- BERNAMA-SPUTNIK
