TLDR
- Pavel Durov accuses French intelligence of influencing Moldova’s presidential elections through political censorship.
- French intelligence allegedly requested Telegram’s assistance in blocking specific political channels during the election.
- Durov claims French authorities offered to speak favorably about him in exchange for the censorship cooperation.
- Telegram remains committed to free speech and will not remove content for political reasons, says Durov.
- Durov’s ongoing legal battles with French authorities continue to raise concerns about political interference.
Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has accused French intelligence services of engaging in political censorship in Moldova. In a post to his 10 million Telegram subscribers, Durov claimed that the French government had attempted to influence Moldova’s presidential elections. The allegations suggest that French intelligence worked with Moldovan authorities to block specific Telegram channels.
French Intelligence Accused of Political Interference
Durov shared that while he was in Paris, French intelligence reached out to him indirectly. The agency allegedly requested that he assist Moldova’s government in blocking specific Telegram channels during the election. According to Durov, French authorities provided a list of flagged channels, which Telegram removed. Some of these channels, however, violated Telegram’s rules, Durov acknowledged.
But Durov claims that the removal of channels came with a disturbing condition. He said an intermediary made it clear that French intelligence would “say good things” about him to the judge handling his legal case. Durov, who has faced legal trouble in France, deemed the proposition unacceptable. “If they approached the judge, it would be an attempt to interfere in the judicial process,” he stated. Durov added that if the claim was false, it represented an exploitation of his legal situation to affect political outcomes in Moldova.
Telegram’s Commitment to Free Speech Amid Pressures
Durov emphasized Telegram’s dedication to free speech and its resistance to political censorship. He stated that Telegram would not remove content based solely on political motives. “We will not remove content for political reasons,” Durov assured.
The Telegram founder also noted the broader political context surrounding Moldova, a country often torn between pro-European and pro-Russian factions. He claimed that the pressure from both French and Moldovan authorities to censor political speech illustrated troubling political interference. Durov’s allegations underscore the growing trend of private platforms being used to suppress dissenting voices in politically sensitive regions.
Durov promised to expose any future attempts to pressure Telegram into political censorship. The Telegram team, he added, would continue to stand firm in defending the platform’s commitment to freedom of expression.
Ongoing Legal Disputes in France
Durov’s legal battles with French authorities have escalated in recent years. French police detained him for four days in August 2024, accusing Him of facilitating illegal activities through Telegram. These included money laundering, drug trafficking, and the distribution of harmful material. Durov rejected the charges, describing them as “unprecedented” and “absurd.”
Since then, Durov has remained entangled in legal processes, with a requirement to check in with the police twice weekly. Although Durov has been allowed to travel for short periods, his case has not progressed toward trial.
