The founder and CEO of the encrypted messaging service Telegram, Pavel Durov, publicly denounced the organized search of X's French offices. In a particularly critical statement, Pavel Durov asserted that France would "The only country in the world to prosecute all social networks that offer a certain degree of freedom to users"adding that it would not be "not from a free country"This stance will not ease tensions between the entrepreneur and the French justice system.
Legal proceedings are underway against Pavel Durov.
Since the summer of 2024, Pavel Durov has been the subject of a judicial investigation in France. The Franco-Russian businessman was arrested at Paris-Le Bourget airport upon his arrival from Azerbaijan, before being formally charged by an investigating magistrate. The investigation focuses on his management of Telegram and on accusations related to the use of the platform for illegal purposes, including the alleged facilitation of illicit transactions, the distribution of child pornography, and activities related to drug trafficking.
The magistrates are particularly interested in the platform's content moderation mechanisms and its responsiveness to judicial requests. Investigators believe that certain shortcomings could have allowed criminal networks to exploit Telegram's functionalities. For his part, Pavel Durov maintains that the company complies with applicable European legal procedures and responds to requests within a compliant legal framework. He also considers the legal approach of holding a company executive criminally responsible for the actions of third-party users to be questionable.
Pavel Durov under judicial supervision
Following his indictment, Pavel Durov was placed under judicial supervision with several conditions, including the payment of bail in the millions of euros and travel restrictions. During 2025, these measures were gradually eased. In particular, a judge authorized Pavel Durov to travel to Dubai, where Telegram has significant infrastructure, while the ongoing legal proceedings continued.
Some restrictions related to his movements have been lifted, a sign of a change in the judicial assessment of his personal situation, even though the substantive investigation continues.
