Telegram founder Pavel Durov has sharply criticized French authorities over his arrest last year, describing the incident as both a “legal and logical absurdity” that caused severe damage to France’s international reputation.
Durov, who shared his comments on his official Telegram channel, recalled his four-day detention in Paris in August 2024. He said the charges stemmed from crimes allegedly coordinated through Telegram by individuals he had “never heard of.”
The entrepreneur argued that holding the head of a major platform accountable for user activity marked an unprecedented overreach. “The arrest of the CEO of a major platform for the actions of its users was not only unprecedented, but also legally and logically absurd,” Durov wrote.
The 39-year-old tech entrepreneur claimed that French authorities failed to follow proper legal protocols when seeking information from Telegram.
“Ironically, I was arrested because of a mistake by the French police: until August 2024, they ignored French and EU laws and did not send a single request to Telegram as part of the necessary legal procedure,” he noted.
According to Durov, despite the compliance of Telegram’s team with all lawful requests, French law enforcement has continued its investigation, seemingly determined to build a case against him. He stressed that the company consistently responds to official inquiries and meets industry standards regarding security and privacy.
Following his detention, a Paris court charged Durov with six counts, including refusal to provide information to French intelligence services, complicity in the possession of pornography involving minors, and complicity in drug-related activities such as acquisition, transport, storage, and sale.
Although released under judicial supervision, Durov was ordered to post bail of €5 million and is required to appear before French authorities twice a week. He now must return to France every two weeks as part of the ongoing investigation.
The Russian-born businessman has characterized the case as damaging not only to his reputation but also to France’s credibility as a free and democratic country. “The only result of my detention was enormous damage to France’s image as a free country,” he said.
Telegram, founded in 2013, has grown into one of the world’s leading messaging platforms, boasting more than 900 million active users globally. Known for its strong encryption and privacy features, the app has often drawn scrutiny from governments concerned about its use by criminals and extremist groups.
Durov has repeatedly defended the platform, maintaining that while Telegram cannot control every misuse, it actively cooperates with legal authorities within the framework of international law.
The case against him has sparked widespread debate about the balance between government oversight of digital platforms and the protection of individual freedoms in Europe. Critics argue that targeting a platform founder for user behavior could set a troubling precedent in the tech industry.
For now, Durov remains under judicial supervision in France, continuing to contest the charges and emphasizing Telegram’s commitment to lawful operations worldwide.