Pavel Durov, founder of the Messaging Application Telegram, provided an update on the ongoing case in France, saying that criminal investigations against him are “struggling” to find evidence of fraud.
Durov added that the arrests by French authorities in August 2024 were “unprecedented” and that holding technical executives responsible for independent users’ behaviour is “legally and logically absurd” in a telegram post on Sunday. Added by Durov:
“A year later, the ‘criminal investigation’ against me is still struggling to find out that I and Telegram were wrong. Our moderation practices are consistent with industry standards, and Telegram has always been able to meet all legally binding requests from France. ”
“A year after this strange arrest, I still have to return to France every 14 days, and I have no appeal dates visible,” he continued, warning that the French government had irreparable damage to the image of France as a free nation.
Durov’s arrest sparked widespread criticism from crypto community, human rights groups and free speech activists who accused the French government of arresting the founder of Telegram and putting pressure on censorship on the platform.
Related: A year since Durov’s arrest: What happened, what’s ahead?
Pavel Durov’s arrest creates a massive backlash against the French government
Doloff was first charged and banned from leaving France in connection with an investigation into the Telegram platform’s content moderation policy as French law enforcement officials blame the platform hosting harmful content.
French President Emmanuel Macron denied the arrest being politically motivated, causing a torrent of censorship and criticism from the crypto community.
“In states that comply with the rule of law, freedom is supported within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect fundamental rights,” Macron wrote in the translated Aug. 26th X Post.
Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Node Provider Helius, said, “Why am I not personally in prison because I don’t control 100% of all crimes in France?”
Durov has repeatedly stated that Telegram is compliant with all law enforcement requests, claiming that the company will end its jurisdiction before succumbing to censorship pressures.
The Telegram platform does not compromise user privacy, even handing over encryption keys or messaging applications, even if it means giving backdoors a messaging application, Durov said.
Magazine: Did Telegram’s Pavel Durov commit a crime? The weight of a crypto lawyer
