Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Speaks Out After Arrest In France: ‘Outdated Laws Are Misguided’

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov made his first public statement early Friday since his detention in France last month over allegations that his platform was being used for illegal activities, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse images. Durov criticized French authorities, suggesting they should have communicated their concerns directly to his company instead of detaining him.

In his Telegram channel post, Durov denied claims that the platform was an "anarchic paradise," while acknowledging that Telegram's rapid user growth had made it more susceptible to misuse by criminals. He pledged to intensify efforts to eliminate illegal activities on the platform.

"Last month, I was questioned by police for four days after arriving in Paris. I was told I could be personally responsible for illegal activities on Telegram because the French authorities hadn't received responses from Telegram. This was surprising since Telegram has an official EU representative who handles such requests," Durov stated.

Durov, a French citizen, pointed out that the authorities had multiple ways to contact him, noting his regular visits to the French consulate in Dubai. He recalled his past cooperation, including setting up a hotline to combat terrorism in France.

"If a country has issues with an internet service, the standard procedure is to take legal action against the service itself. Applying outdated laws to hold a CEO accountable for third-party crimes on the platform is a flawed approach," Durov said, arguing that innovators cannot be held responsible for all potential misuse of their creations.

Durov emphasized the complexity of balancing privacy and security, reconciling local and EU laws, and adapting processes globally while avoiding abuse in regions with weak legal frameworks. He also referenced conflicts with regulators in countries like Russia and Iran that forced him to leave.

"We aim to uphold basic human rights, especially in regions where these rights are compromised. This doesn't mean Telegram is flawless. We acknowledge the confusion about where to send legal requests and are working to improve that. However, claims that Telegram is an 'anarchic paradise' are baseless," Durov added.

In late August, French authorities charged Pavel Durov with facilitating criminal activities on Telegram and barred him from leaving France pending further investigation. He was detained at Le Bourget airport near Paris as part of an ongoing judicial inquiry and was released after four days of questioning.

The charges against Durov, who is a French citizen of Russian origin, include allegations of enabling the distribution of child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking on Telegram and failing to comply with legal requests for information. His arrest sparked outrage in Russia, with some officials calling it politically motivated and evidence of Western hypocrisy on free speech.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Durov's arrest was not politically driven but part of an independent investigation. Telegram, in a statement following the arrest, affirmed its commitment to EU laws and highlighted ongoing improvements in content moderation, aligning with industry standards.