France: Pavel Durov questioned in court over Telegram case

On July 28, the third court session was held in Paris with the participation of the founder of the Telegram messenger Pavel Durov. The interrogation lasted almost ten hours and took place as part of a closed investigation, the details of which were not officially disclosed. After the hearing, the businessman left the courthouse accompanied by four lawyers, refusing to comment to the press.

Court events are held in conditions of limited access to information, but sources in legal circles connect them with Telegram's activities in France and, possibly, with a number of charges brought against the platform. The increased attention of the French authorities to the messenger is explained by the fact that Telegram remains one of the few digital platforms that maintain a high level of encryption of correspondence and the rejection of censorship mechanisms.

Earlier, in July, Pavel Durov publicly criticized the actions of French regulators, accusing them of creating an unfavorable climate for the development of technology companies. According to him, excessive pressure from government agencies undermines efforts to attract investment in the digital sector and creates dangerous precedents for interference with freedom of speech. Durov stressed that in the current conditions, " any technology company in France can be declared criminal."

The founder of Telegram also previously denied rumors about the possible departure of the messenger from the Russian market, noting that a large-scale campaign of discredit is being conducted against the platform. In August last year, Durov was already arrested in France, after which he spent several months there.

Telegram remains one of the largest players in the global messenger market and is actively used in various regions of the world for communication, work and information exchange. The conflict between the platform's management and French regulators reflects a broader discourse about the balance between digital rights, national security, and the independence of technology companies in the face of increasing scrutiny.