Pavel Durov provided an update on the criminal case opened against him in France. According to him, a year after his arrest, the authorities have still not been able to present any evidence. He called the situation “absurd” and warned that the actions of the French government have already damaged the country’s reputation.
Durov: Charges Not Supported
In a Telegram post, Pavel Durov recalled that he was arrested in August 2024 at Le Bourget Airport, which he described as an unprecedented case. He emphasized that the Telegram platform complies with all international moderation standards and always responds to official requests from France.
“A year has passed, and the so-called criminal investigation still cannot find what law I or Telegram have violated. All our moderation practices comply with industry standards, and we have responded to every legally binding request from France,” Durov wrote.
He also noted that he is still required to return to France every 14 days, while no hearing date has been scheduled so far.
Charges and Reaction
French authorities charged Durov with six offenses, including money laundering, failure to cooperate with police, and distribution of prohibited content. After his arrest, he was temporarily banned from leaving the country.
Many members of the crypto community, human rights organizations, and free speech activists criticized the actions of the French authorities. In their view, Durov’s arrest was an attempt to force him to introduce censorship on the platform.
On March 17, Durov’s passport was returned, and his right to travel was restored. Immediately afterward, the businessman flew to Dubai.
Position of the French Authorities
French President Emmanuel Macron rejected claims that the case was politically motivated. On August 26, he stated that in a rule-of-law state, freedoms are protected within the framework of the law – both on social networks and offline.
This is Durov’s first public comment since his interview with Tucker Carlson two months ago. At that time, attention to Telegram increased amid the growing popularity of the TON blockchain.
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