Telegram founder Pavel Durov, on the anniversary of his arrest in France, said the investigation into the messenger continues and is politically motivated, reports infohub.kz.
In a post on X, Durov recalled that two years ago he was detained by police in Paris for three days—the maximum period of detention without charges. According to him, French authorities, in an unprecedented move, charged the head of a major platform with crimes committed by its users.
"This investigation is still ongoing, although every year it makes less and less sense. Why? Because we now have extensive evidence that Telegram was no worse than other popular platforms in moderation and was not the worst in cooperating with authorities," he wrote.
Durov noted that over the past two years, a pattern has emerged in several countries: Telegram is quietly asked to provide political services, such as conducting illegal censorship or surveillance. When the company refuses, local media and "non-governmental" organizations launch coordinated campaigns portraying Telegram as a hotbed of crime—from child pornography to terrorism. At the same time, Telegram's moderation, he says, is no worse than that of other major platforms.
Asked whether he considers the French investigation political, Durov said: "Suddenly, officials start caring about crime and child protection—but only on platforms that reject their secret political demands. Platforms that agree to such deals get away with almost everything—including literally selling ads that promote child pornography. Is the French investigation against me political? It certainly fits the pattern we see elsewhere, mostly in authoritarian countries. And it definitely raises questions."
The Telegram founder expressed confidence that over time this investigation itself may become the subject of an investigation, especially now that "Macron's war on free speech is facing pushback." He recalled that this month, France's Constitutional Council struck down a ban on social media for children under 15 on freedom of expression grounds. "In the end, freedom and truth will prevail," he concluded.
Recall that Pavel Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport in Paris on August 24, 2024. He was charged with 12 crimes, carrying up to 20 years in prison. The entrepreneur was released on a large bail but banned from leaving France. Later, French media reported that after Durov's arrest, Telegram began responding to legal requests from French authorities.
In May 2025, the businessman had a conflict with French authorities amid the elections in Romania: Durov claimed that one country attempted to interfere in Romania's presidential election via Telegram, hinting at France. The French Foreign Ministry called these accusations unfounded. Durov also said he was ready to testify about foreign interference and said he had stopped responding to Macron's messages.