Pavel Durov said he was unjustly detained in France

Telegram founder Pavel Durov recalled an incident that happened in France a year ago and shared his personal views. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

According to him, the French police detained him for four days under the pretext that the Telegram platform was being used for criminal purposes. Durov emphasized that this detention was legally and logically unfounded.

Investigators have so far been unable to find evidence proving that he or the Telegram company was guilty of any wrongdoing. According to Durov, his detention resulted from a mistake by the French police.

Because until August 2024, they had not sent an official request to Telegram in violation of French and European Union laws. Although a year has passed since the detention, he is still required to come to France every two weeks.

The appeal deadline has not yet been determined. For this reason, in his opinion, the detention has damaged France's reputation as a free state.

He stated that despite all difficulties, he continues to fight and believes he will ultimately prevail. It is worth noting that Pavel Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport on August 25, 2023, when he arrived by plane from Azerbaijan to Paris.

French law enforcement agencies accused him of drug trafficking, crimes against children, and fraud. These accusations were based on the absence of a moderation system on Telegram and the lack of cooperation with the police.

After nearly eight months of detention, Durov left France and returned to Dubai. Thus, his detention in France remains an event that has sparked significant discussions not only in his personal life but also worldwide regarding freedom of speech and digital independence.