Telegram founder Pavel Durov has launched a highly public attack on the French government, asserting that Paris is actively engaged in suppressing free speech by employing criminal investigations as a political weapon. In a notable show of solidarity, Durov aligned himself strongly with Elon Musk, the owner of the X social media platform, following the initiation of legal scrutiny against the company in France. Durov’s remarks suggest a deep disagreement with the French state’s approach to regulating digital information, framing it as an attack on fundamental rights.
The context for Durov’s accusations stems from developments involving the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ recently declined a request from French authorities that sought assistance in investigating X’s alleged involvement in the distribution of sexual deepfakes and illegal data extraction. The rejection highlighted the perceived overreach of the French judicial process, which, according to the DOJ, aimed to ‘use the criminal legal system in France to regulate a public square for the free expression of ideas’ and to ‘entangle the United States in a politically charged criminal proceeding.’ Elon Musk has publicly dismissed these inquiries, characterizing them as nothing more than a ‘political attack.’
Durov further escalated his critique of the prevailing political atmosphere in France. He addressed the administration of President Emmanuel Macron, proclaiming that ‘France is losing legitimacy’ due to the weaponization of criminal probes aimed at stifling free speech and personal privacy. His skepticism extended deeply into the mechanisms of French justice, where he suggested that the independence of French prosecutors is dubious, arguing they are ‘hired, fired, and promoted by the government,’ and that even the judicial police provide reports that are not entirely objective, since they are also ‘controlled by the government.’ His hyperbolic summation—’In Macron’s France, being investigated is the new Legion d’honneur’—underscored his view of the situation as a performative government action.
The initial focus of the French investigation into X was launched in January 2025, prompted by concerns regarding the platform’s content algorithm, specifically allegations that it displayed systemic bias or could facilitate foreign interference. The scope of the case has noticeably widened, expanding to include intense scrutiny over anti-Semitic content, denial of the Holocaust, and the dissemination of AI-generated child sexual abuse material. The escalation reached a peak when Parisian prosecutors raided X’s French offices in February 2026 and subsequently summoned Musk for what was framed as a ‘voluntary’ interview. This pattern of legal challenge has created significant tension, drawing in international attention to the state of digital freedom.
These challenges are not novel for Durov himself. The founder, who holds citizenship in France, Russia, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, has a history of conflict with the French judicial system. He was himself detained at a Paris airport in August 2024 and subsequently indicted on twelve charges. These charges included alleged complicity in distributing child exploitation material and drug trafficking, actions that French prosecutors claimed were necessitated by Telegram’s perceived failure to fully comply with legal requests. While Durov’s temporary travel ban was lifted in November 2025, the formal investigation persists. Durov, meanwhile, has consistently rejected these proceedings, describing the entire affair as ‘legally and logically absurd,’ and arguing that its ‘only outcome’ has been ‘massive damage to France’s image as a free country.’