Telegram founder Pavel Durov has once again positioned himself as a staunch defender of digital freedom, revealing that he refused a request from a Western European government to censor political content on Telegram ahead of Romania’s upcoming presidential elections on May 18.
In a post made on May 18 to his personal Telegram channel, Durov disclosed that a government from the European Union approached Telegram with a request to suppress conservative voices during the sensitive election period. Although he stopped short of naming the country outright, he dropped a not-so-subtle hint in the form of a baguette emoji — a clear nod to France.
“You can’t ‘defend democracy’ by destroying democracy,” Durov wrote. “You can’t ‘fight election interference’ by interfering with elections. You either have freedom of speech and fair elections — or you don’t. And the Romanian people deserve both.”
Durov’s stance underscores his long-held position as an advocate for digital autonomy, privacy, and unfiltered communication — values that have earned him widespread respect in the cryptocurrency and Web3 communities. With his background in building censorship-resistant platforms like Telegram and, earlier, Russia’s VKontakte, Durov continues to challenge what he sees as authoritarian overreach under the guise of democratic protection.
Legal Tensions with France
This isn’t the first time Durov has locked horns with European authorities. In August 2024, he was briefly detained in France, prompting backlash from both the tech world and digital rights advocates. Critics accused the French government of using legal intimidation to pressure Telegram into policing content in a way that would benefit certain political narratives.
French President Emmanuel Macron tried to downplay the incident, stating in an X (formerly Twitter) post that the government remained “committed to freedom of expression and communication.” But many weren’t convinced.
“You can’t keep founders personally liable, and charge them up to 20 years, for not moderating speech, and at the same time claim you are deeply committed to freedom of expression,” Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius Labs, commented in response to Macron’s remarks.
The arrest also drew international attention from other free speech advocates, including Chris Pavlovski, CEO of video platform Rumble. Pavlovski claimed he had to leave the EU due to mounting pressure from French authorities and called Durov’s arrest a clear act of coercion.
Telegram’s Legal Approach
Despite the tension, Durov clarified that Telegram does comply with legitimate legal requests. The company maintains a legal representative in France specifically to process such communications from law enforcement. However, Durov criticized the French government for circumventing this process and opting to issue an arrest warrant instead — a move he said undermines legal norms and the principle of due process.
Telegram’s growing influence as a platform for uncensored political discourse — particularly in Eastern Europe — seems to be making governments nervous. Durov’s refusal to interfere in Romania’s elections is a bold assertion of his principles, especially in an age where tech companies are increasingly pressured to police content in complex political climates.
As Europe grapples with rising populist movements and the spread of misinformation, Telegram continues to stand out as a battleground for the future of online speech. And at the center of it all, Pavel Durov is making it clear that he’s not backing down.
