Michaela
Summary: What does Pavel Durov say about the investigation against him and Telegram?
Durov says the “criminal investigation” is “still struggling to find” any wrongdoing by him or Telegram. He emphasizes that the platform follows industry-standard moderation and complies with legal requests. He also argues that his arrest was legally and logically unjustified.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has offered a new update on his ongoing legal battle in France, addressing the investigation targeting both him and his encrypted messaging platform.
“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 wrote in a Telegram post.
Durov stated that the “criminal investigation” against him and his platform is “still struggling to find” any wrongdoing on the part of Telegram or himself. He added that the company’s moderation practices meet industry standards and emphasized that the messaging platform has consistently complied with all legally binding requests from French authorities.
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The Telegram CEO also asserted that his 2024 arrest stemmed from errors by French authorities, alleging that they bypassed both French and EU legal procedures and failed to submit their inquiries to Telegram through the proper legal channels.
Furthermore, Durov shared that since his arrest, he has been required to return to France every 14 days and has yet to be given an appeal date. He also suggested that the handling of his case has caused “massive damage to France’s image as a free country.”
In a June interview with Tucker Carlson, Durov indicated that his detention could have been politically motivated, potentially tied to government concerns over alleged illegal activity on the messaging platform.
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Durov disclosed that during his arrest last year at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, French authorities appeared primarily intent on examining the operational structure of his cloud-based messaging platform.
In August 2024, French prosecutors formally charged Durov with six offenses, including complicity in criminal activity, money laundering, and criminal association. The indictment also alleged that he neglected official inquiries, provided undeclared cryptocurrency services, and allowed the circulation of illegal content on the messaging app, which authorities contend suffers from inadequate moderation.
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MICHAELA
Michaela is a news writer focused on cryptocurrency and blockchain topics. She prioritizes rigorous research and accuracy to uncover interesting angles and ensure engaging reporting. A lifelong book lover, she applies her passion for reading to deeply explore the constantly evolving crypto world.
