The criminal prosecution of Telegram in France, initiated in August 2024, has not concluded even two years later. The messenger's founder, Pavel Durov, publicly stated on Monday that French authorities are effectively punishing the platform for refusing to comply with demands he regards as censorship.
The essence of the charges and Durov's position
To recall, Durov was initially detained in Paris for three days — the maximum period before charges are filed. At the time, this was an unprecedented step: the head of a major technology platform was for the first time accused of crimes committed by its users. Later, the restrictive measure was eased, and in November 2025, the ban on his leaving the country was lifted.
However, the investigation itself continues. French prosecutors are examining whether Telegram facilitated the commission of crimes and whether it cooperated insufficiently with law enforcement agencies. Durov, for his part, insists that over two years, enough data has been gathered to refute these arguments. According to him, the messenger is on par with, or even surpasses, competitors in terms of moderation standards and readiness for dialogue with authorities.
Systemic pressure or a fight for freedom?
In his statement, Durov describes a recurring pattern: officials from various countries informally asked him for political favors — from banning publications to surveillance, which he considers illegal. Refusal, he says, triggers campaigns in local media and pressure through human rights organizations. Similar requests, he claims, were also made during the elections in Romania and Moldova.
The statistics Durov cites are also telling: over a year, Telegram blocked 23.6 million groups and channels, of which more than 370,000 were linked to child exploitation and over 164,000 to terrorist content. These figures are meant to demonstrate the effectiveness of moderation. At the same time, he points to obvious double standards: for example, in Meta's advertising library (recognized as extremist in Russia), more than 50 ads containing AI-generated child exploitation content were recently found, with no similar reaction following.
What's next?
Notably, within France itself, a constitutional reconsideration of such restrictions has begun. The country's Constitutional Council has already overturned the ban on social media use by children under 15, citing freedom of expression. In Durov's view, this could set a precedent for his case as well.
The founder of Telegram himself links what is happening to President Macron's initiatives on regulating online platforms and has already leveled similar accusations at Russia, where a case was opened against him in July under terrorism-related articles.
Significantly, the market reacted to this news without panic: the GRAM token (formerly Toncoin) traded at around $1.47 on Monday, down approximately 3% over the day. Investors, apparently, have already priced in this protracted legal saga.
My analysis: This case is not merely a legal battle but a key stress test for the entire decentralized communications industry. If France gets its way, it will create a dangerous precedent allowing the leaders of any platform to be held accountable for user actions. However, the prolongation of the process and the initial victories in the Constitutional Council indicate that the legal system is beginning to recognize the fragility of the boundaries between security and fundamental rights. We are watching developments — in the coming months, it will become clear whether prosecutors decide to take the case to trial.