The case against Telegram in France has reached the two-year mark, and the messenger's founder Pavel Durov has once again found himself in the spotlight. This time, he openly accuses the authorities of trying to punish the platform for refusing to comply with demands he considers censorship. The criminal investigation, launched in August 2024, is still not complete, and according to Durov, the data collected during this time increasingly undermines the prosecution's position.
Let me remind you that two years ago, Durov was detained by Paris police for three days — the maximum allowable period before charges are filed. This was an unprecedented step: the head of a major platform was accused for the first time of crimes committed by its users. Later, the preventive measure was relaxed, and in November 2025, the ban on leaving the country was lifted, but the investigation itself continues. The prosecutor's office is examining whether Telegram facilitated unlawful activities and whether it cooperates actively enough with law enforcement agencies.
Systemic pressure or a fight for freedom of speech?
Durov claims that over two years, enough evidence of his good faith has been collected. He emphasizes that moderation and cooperation with authorities in Telegram are not inferior to, and possibly surpass, similar indicators of competitors. Moreover, he speaks of a recurring scenario: officials from different countries unofficially asked him for political favors — from publication bans to surveillance — and after refusal, launched campaigns in local media and human rights organizations. He has documented such requests in both Romania and Moldova.
To support his position, Durov cites statistics: over the year, Telegram blocked 23.6 million groups and channels, of which 370,777 were related to child exploitation and 164,099 to terrorist content. He also points to double standards, recalling a recent scandal when more than 50 paid ads with AI-generated content containing child exploitation were found in Meta's ad library.
Interestingly, resistance is also growing within France. The Constitutional Council has already overturned the ban on social media use by children under 15, citing freedom of expression. This could become a precedent that weakens the prosecution's position. Durov himself previously made similar accusations against Russia, where a case was opened against him under terrorism-related articles.
My analysis: The situation looks like a classic conflict between national regulation and a global platform. If French justice cannot present ironclad evidence, the case risks dragging on for years or ending in a quiet dismissal. However, for the cryptocurrency market, this process remains an important indicator: the Telegram-linked token Gram (formerly Toncoin) reacted to the news with a decline of about 3% to $1.47. Investors should closely monitor developments — any verdict could seriously affect the perception of the project as a whole.