France Doubles Down on Durov – Telegram CEO Faces Third Court Interrogation

Telegram founder Pavel Durov was questioned again in Paris as French authorities intensify legal scrutiny. His lawyers call the indictment unconstitutional and appeal to the EU’s highest court.

Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, has faced yet another round of legal questioning in Paris this week. According to French outlet Journal du Coin and the AFP, this marks the third interrogation since charges were first brought against him, alleging his platform facilitated the spread of illegal content, including child pornography and illicit financial activity.

Durov, 40, arrived at the Paris courthouse accompanied by four lawyers, who later described his testimony as offering “further evidence of the baselessness of the accusations.” Although he strongly denies any intent to allow Telegram’s misuse, Durov has acknowledged rising criminal behavior on the platform and agreed to enhance moderation efforts.

French authorities have publicly recognized Telegram’s improved cooperation. Nonetheless, the judiciary appears committed to pursuing the case, despite these developments.

The Russian-born entrepreneur, who also holds French citizenship, was originally detained in August 2024 and questioned in December. While initially barred from leaving France, Durov was granted temporary travel to the UAE in July—Telegram’s corporate base in Dubai.

Despite attempts to meet French regulatory concerns, including rolling out a user-reporting tool to flag illegal content, Durov remains under legal pressure. According to Journal du Coin, “The French justice system seems determined not to let go of Pavel Durov, even though he has made efforts to improve the moderation of his platform.”

Following this week’s proceedings, his legal team issued a statement condemning what they called “excessive investigative action” and “clear violations of French and European law.” They have filed a constitutional appeal and are seeking a preliminary ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg.

In a recent interview with Le Point, Durov stated that while he respects government concerns, he does not intend to surrender to political pressure.

This legal chapter echoes Durov’s earlier conflicts with Russian authorities. He previously refused to censor VK accounts of anti-Kremlin protesters or surrender personal data of Ukrainian demonstrators to Russia’s FSB. These actions ultimately led to his ouster from VK, the Russian social network he co-founded in 2006.

More recently, Durov has publicly denied reports that Telegram plans to open an office in Russia or exit the country altogether, dismissing such claims as a “coordinated campaign to discredit Telegram.”

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