Telegram’s Pavel Durov Slams France a Year After Arrest

- Pavel Durov criticizes French authorities over year-long investigation lacking evidence. - Case fuels debates on privacy, censorship, and tech accountability. Telegram founder Pavel Durov has accused the French government of mismanaging a criminal investigation stemming from his August 2024 arrest, noting that one year later, authorities have yet to produce any evidence of wrongdoing. The investigation centers on allegations that users shared harmful content on Telegram, a platform renowned for its emphasis on privacy and encrypted communications. This content allegedly includes child exploitation material and drug trafficking activities. On August 24, 2025, Cointelegraph reported that Telegram founder Pavel Durov called his arrest "unprecedented," arguing that holding a tech executive liable for the actions of independent users is "legally and logically absurd." Durov stated that Telegram adheres to industry-standard moderation practices and responds to legally binding requests from French authorities. Nevertheless, he must return to France every 14 days, and authorities have not scheduled a date for an appeal. The investigation has triggered fierce criticism from the crypto community, human rights organizations, and free speech advocates, who claim French authorities are using legal pressure to push Telegram into adopting stricter censorship measures. In May 2025, the United Nations issued statements highlighting serious human rights concerns related to the case. During the same month, human rights groups also condemned a French court ruling that prevented Durov from traveling to Norway to speak at the Oslo Freedom Forum. French officials have denied any political motives in the case. President Emmanuel Macron asserted that freedoms in France operate within a legal framework designed to protect its citizens. Meanwhile, authorities maintain that Telegram’s limited moderation practices enable criminal activity on the platform. Since his arrest, Durov has faced twelve formal charges, including complicity in facilitating harmful acts via Telegram. Durov has repeatedly emphasized Telegram’s commitment to safeguarding user privacy, and he rejects demands to provide encryption keys or install backdoors that could compromise user data. Durov stated that Telegram would withdraw from any market, including France, rather than abandon its privacy-focused principles. In response to mounting scrutiny, Telegram has enhanced its moderation tools and refined its policies. Users can now report illegal activities in private chats.