TechFlow news, on September 6, according to The Block, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has spoken out for the first time via the Telegram platform since his arrest in France. He not only denied the charges behind his arrest but also stated that he is prepared to exit markets where operations conflict with Telegram's principles.
Durov emphasized: "If we cannot reach an agreement with regulators in a given country regarding the balance between privacy and security, we are ready to leave that country at any time. We've done this multiple times before." He cited Russia and Iran as examples. "We are ready to leave markets that are incompatible with our principles because we're not driven by money. Our motivation is to benefit people and defend fundamental rights—especially in places where those rights are under threat."
In August, Durov was arrested at Paris airport and subsequently charged by a French court. The charges include "facilitating the dissemination of child sexual images, as well as other criminal activities such as drug trafficking through the messaging app." The arrest is part of a broader investigation into cybercrime, with Telegram accused of enabling money laundering, child pornography, and drug transactions through its encryption tools and services. French authorities have released Durov but placed him under "judicial supervision," meaning the Telegram founder must remain in France.
