Durov, who has Russian and other nationalities, was detained at Paris Le Bourget airport yesterday and is expected to appear in court today on offences related to Telegram.

“We immediately asked French authorities to explain the reasons for this detention and demanded that his rights be protected and that consular access be granted. Up to now, the French side is refusing to cooperate on this question,” the embassy said in a statement reported by Ria Novosti news agency.

The Franco-Russian billionaire, 39, was detained at Le Bourget airport north of the French capital yesterday evening, one of the officials told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He had just travelled from Baku, in Azerbaijan, another source close to the case said.

Durov is expected to appear in court today.

France’s Ofmin, an agency tasked with preventing violence against minors, had issued an arrest warrant for Durov as the coordinating agency in a preliminary investigation into alleged offences including fraud, drug trafficking, cyber bullying, organised crime, and promotion of terrorism, one of the sources close to the case said.

Durov is suspected of failing to take action to curb the criminal use of his platform.

“Enough of Telegram’s impunity,” said one of the investigators, adding they were surprised Durov came to Paris knowing he was a wanted man.