PARIS, Aug 26 \u2014\u00a0Telegram founder Pavel Durov has criticised France\u2019s investigation into illegal content on his messaging app, saying authorities were \u201cstruggling\u201d to find evidence of wrongdoing a year after his high-profile arrest.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne year ago, the French police detained me for four days because some people I\u2019d never heard of used Telegram to coordinate crimes,\u201d Durov wrote on his Telegram channel on Sunday evening.<\/p>\n
\u201cA year later, the \u2018criminal investigation\u2019 against me is still struggling to find anything that I or Telegram did wrong,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Russian-born entrepreneur, 40, was sensationally detained in Paris in 2024 and is under formal investigation by French authorities over the popular platform\u2019s alleged complicity in criminal activity.<\/p>\n
Durov, who holds French and Russian passports, has been accused of complicity in running an online platform that allowed illicit transactions, images of child sex abuse and other illegal content.<\/p>\n
He has denied the allegations and condemned his arrest as doing \u201cmassive damage to France\u2019s image as a free country\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cArresting a CEO of a major platform over the actions of its users was not only unprecedented – it was legally and logically absurd,\u201d Durov wrote, pledging to \u201ckeep fighting\u201d.<\/p>\n
The tech founder has accused French authorities of failing to follow proper legal procedures when submitting content moderation inquiries.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur moderation practices align with industry standards, and Telegram has always responded to every legally binding request from France,\u201d Durov said.<\/p>\n
During initial questioning in December 2024, the tech entrepreneur acknowledged a growing criminal presence on the platform, and pledged to strengthen content oversight.<\/p>\n
Durov, who was initially banned from leaving France, had his judicial control relaxed in July, allowing him to reside in the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is based, for a maximum of two weeks at a time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still have to return to France every 14 days, with no appeal date in sight,\u201d he said. \u2014 AFP<\/p>\n
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