Durov, accused of not cooperating with French authorities, was arrested at an airport outside Paris on August 24, 2024, as part of an investigation into alleged crimes involving child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraudulent activities linked to the Telegram app. He was released four days later on €5 million bail and prohibited from leaving the country.
In a statement released on Friday, September 6, 2024, the CEO expressed surprise at being held personally responsible for third-party misuse of Telegram. He accused the French authorities of using outdated 'pre-smartphone' laws to hold him accountable for others' actions, calling it "a simplistic approach".
Speaking for the first time since his arrest, Durov emphasized that Telegram takes moderation seriously, removing millions of harmful posts and channels daily.
He referred to Telegram's existing infrastructure, including an official EU representative to handle law enforcement requests, and denied claims that the app lacks oversight.
"We've always been open to dialogue and take down harmful content every day," Durov said, adding that recent media portrayals are "absolutely untrue." He also stressed that Telegram is committed to protecting user privacy, particularly in countries with weak rule of law.
While acknowledging that Telegram's growth to 950 million users has created challenges, Durov pledged to make improvements in content moderation. He expressed hope that these efforts would not only enhance Telegram's safety but also contribute to a stronger, more secure social networking industry.
Telegram, known for its strong stance on user privacy, has previously faced bans in Russia and Iran after refusing to comply with demands to share encryption keys and block protest channels.
Durov reiterated that the platform would not hesitate to leave countries whose regulations compromise its core principles of privacy and free speech.
'Sometimes we can't agree with a country's regulator on the right balance between privacy and security. In those cases, we are ready to leave that country. We've done it many times. When Russia demanded we hand over 'encryption keys' to enable surveillance, we refused â€" and Telegram got banned in Russia. When Iran demanded we block channels of peaceful protesters, we refused â€" and Telegram got banned in Iran.
'We are prepared to leave markets that aren't compatible with our principles, because we are not doing this for money. We are driven by the intention to bring good and defend the basic rights of people, particularly in places where these rights are violated,' he stated.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
