Durov accused France of persecuting freedom of speech

Telegram founder Pavel Durov sharply criticized the French authorities, accusing them of "crusades" against freedom of speech and technological innovations, as he reported in his account on the social network X.

The well-known entrepreneur warned that such actions could cause serious economic damage to France for the coming decades. Durov emphasized that the practice of using criminal prosecution instead of developing transparent rules for regulating internet companies will inevitably scare away potential investors.

"Several prosecutors, driven by career ambitions or political motives, are jeopardizing the country's future by initiating criminal investigations on issues that can (and should) be resolved through clear regulation and cooperation with technology industry leaders," Durov stated.

Recall that the entrepreneur was detained at Paris's Le Bourget airport in August 2024. He was placed under arrest for several days, and then released on a €5 million bail with the obligation to report to the police twice a week. Later he left the country and went to Dubai.