Top Russian MP instructs Durov to leave France
(MENAFN)
A top Russian lawmaker has advised Telegram founder Pavel Durov to leave France immediately, citing serious risks to his freedom after Durov accused French intelligence of trying to manipulate political content on the platform.
A top Russian lawmaker has advised Telegram founder Pavel Durov to leave France immediately, citing serious risks to his freedom after Durov accused French intelligence of trying to manipulate political content on the platform.
Earlier in May, Durov claimed France’s foreign intelligence agency (DGSE) pressured Telegram to censor conservative voices during Romania’s election campaign—an order he allegedly refused. Although the DGSE denied the allegations, Durov responded by accusing French authorities of misusing investigations into terrorism and child exploitation to justify political censorship.
Aleksey Zhuravlev, deputy head of the Russian State Duma Defense Committee, warned in a Saturday interview with RIA Novosti that Durov faces a high risk of imprisonment if he continues resisting French demands. He emphasized that Durov should leave the country as soon as possible.
Durov, whose company operates out of Dubai, was arrested in France in August 2024 on charges tied to illegal activity on Telegram, including extremism and child abuse content. He was later released on €5 million bail. While he was allowed to return to the UAE in March, French authorities blocked his recent attempt to travel to the U.S., and he remains under supervision.
Zhuravlev suggested the French government may be keeping Durov within reach to exert influence over him, possibly using undisclosed leverage. He argued Durov is now witnessing how “Western democracy” can distort legal principles for political ends.
Echoing this view, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused French President Emmanuel Macron of employing “barbaric” tactics to sway foreign elections. She claimed Macron had Durov arrested not over internal issues with Telegram, but to influence Romania’s elections, where the favored liberal candidate reportedly lacked sufficient popular support.
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