Telegram Founder Criticizes France Over Yearlong Legal Case
ISTANBUL –
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has criticized French authorities over his arrest in August 2024. He described the case as “strange” and said it has harmed France’s reputation as a free country.
Durov was detained for four days after unidentified individuals allegedly used Telegram to coordinate criminal activities. He argued that holding the CEO responsible for users’ actions was “legally and logically absurd.”
He also accused French authorities of ignoring standard national and EU procedures before his detention. “They could have followed the correct steps by consulting publicly available guidance or contacting us directly,” Durov wrote on his Telegram account.
Furthermore, he said, “So far, the only result of my arrest has been serious harm to France’s image as a free nation.”
Durov highlighted that Telegram’s moderation policies meet industry standards. He stressed that the platform complies with all legally binding requests. Additionally, he noted that investigators have not provided any evidence against him or the company.
“One year after this unusual arrest, I still must report to France every 14 days. No appeal date has been set,” he added.
French prosecutors announced last year that Durov was under investigation for allegedly enabling illegal activity through Telegram, which serves over 900 million users. They charged him with complicity in operating a platform to facilitate illegal transactions as part of a criminal network.
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