The founder of the messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, accused French intelligence services of attempting to influence freedom of speech in Moldova ahead of the 2024 presidential elections. According to him, the official Paris tried to use his legal troubles in France to achieve the blocking of opposition Telegram channels in Moldova.
This is reported by Business • Media
Durov on Pressure and Attempts at Censorship
“About a year ago, when I was stuck in Paris, the French intelligence services contacted me through an intermediary, asking for help in censoring certain Telegram channels for the Moldovan government ahead of the presidential elections,” Durov wrote.
After reviewing the channels, Telegram only removed those that actually violated community rules. At the same time, Durov claims, the intermediary suggested that in exchange for cooperation, the French intelligence services would “say nice things” to the judge who would decide on his arrest in August 2024. Durov called this unacceptable, stating that such actions could be seen as interference in the judicial process or an attempt to use his legal situation for political pressure in Eastern Europe, noting that he had observed similar schemes in Romania.
Refusal to Comply with Political Demands and France’s Reaction
Subsequently, Telegram received a new list of channels that were proposed for blocking; however, according to Durov, these resources did not violate any rules and only differed in political views that did not align with those of the French and Moldovan governments. Durov emphasized that Telegram refused to comply with the request and remains committed to the principles of freedom of speech, not removing content for political reasons.
These statements came against the backdrop of parliamentary elections in Moldova, where, according to preliminary results, the pro-European party “Action and Solidarity” led by President Maia Sandu is in the lead. At the same time, President Sandu accused Russia of massive interference in the country’s democratic process, while the leader of the pro-Russian opposition, Igor Dodon, called for protests outside parliament and threatened to seek the annulment of the election results.
In a broader context, Pavel Durov noted that governments in various countries are increasingly attempting to influence the operations of digital platforms, especially those that guarantee user privacy.
In response to the accusations, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the founder of Telegram “likes to make accusations during elections.”
Durov is under judicial supervision in France following his arrest in August 2024. He is required to appear before the authorities every two weeks, and the date for the appeal hearing has yet to be determined.