Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Criticizes French Legal Case as ’Absurd’

Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of Telegram, has lashed out at French authorities over a criminal investigation he deems baseless. The case, which alleges Telegram enabled organized crime, has entangled Durov in legal proceedings for over a year. "Arresting a CEO of a major platform over the actions of its users was not only unprecedented — it was legally and logically absurd," Durov stated.

Durov claims French police failed to follow proper legal channels when requesting user data before August 2024. He insists Telegram has complied with all legally binding requests and maintains standard moderation practices. Despite being allowed to leave France for Dubai in March, Durov must return every 14 days, with no appeal date in sight. "The only outcome of my arrest so far has been massive damage to France’s image as a free country," he remarked.

The case underscores escalating tensions between law enforcement and tech platforms over content responsibility, as governments worldwide intensify scrutiny of digital communication tools.