Telegram CEO Pavel Durov blasts French authorities over 'misguided' charges in first statement after arrest
Pavel Durov
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov voiced his frustration with French authorities, accusing them of pursuing “misguided” criminal charges against him rather than addressing their concerns with his company directly on Thursday (September 05). This marks his first public comment since his arrest.
Durov took to Telegram to express his astonishment at the idea of being held personally accountable for illegal activities conducted by others on his platform.
He described the legal approach as “misguided,” adding, “Using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a misguided approach.”
He further said that such a stance could deter innovators from developing new technologies due to fear of personal liability for potential misuse.
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"Sometimes we can’t agree with a country’s regulator on the right balance between privacy and security," Durov said.
"In those cases, we are ready to leave that country. We’ve done it many times. When Russia demanded we hand over 'encryption keys' to enable surveillance, we refused — and Telegram got banned in Russia. When Iran demanded we block channels of peaceful protesters, we refused — and Telegram got banned in Iran," he added.
Durov stressed that Telegram can leave markets that aren’t compatible with its principles, as this is not being done for money. The intention to bring good and defend the basic rights of people, particularly in places where these rights are violated, is what drives us, he added.
(With inputs from agencies)