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Tengrinews.kz – Telegram founder Pavel Durov has shared an update on the investigation against him in France, stressing that the accusations remain unfounded and unsupported by evidence.
In a post on his Telegram channel, Durov recalled last year’s events.
“One year ago, the French police detained me for 4 days because some people I’d never heard of used Telegram to coordinate crimes. Arresting a CEO of a major platform over the actions of its users was not only unprecedented — it was legally and logically absurd,” Durov shared.
He noted that a year later the so-called “criminal investigation” has still failed to prove any wrongdoing.
“Our moderation practices align with industry standards, and Telegram has always responded to every legally binding request from France,” he wrote.
According to Durov, the arrest was the result of an error by French authorities.
“Ironically, I was arrested due to the French police’s own mistake: before August 2024, they ignored French and EU laws and hadn’t sent any of their queries to Telegram via the required legal process. They could have learned the correct procedure simply by googling it or asking.”
He added that he is still required to return to France every 14 days, with no date for an appeal set.
“Sadly, the only outcome of my arrest so far has been massive damage to France’s image as a free country. We’ll keep fighting — and we will win,” Durov concluded.
Durov was initially detained in August 2024 and charged on six counts, including refusal to provide data in response to official requests. He was later released on bail and, in spring 2025, left France for the UAE with court approval.
