6-Hour Interrogation in Paris and Terrorism Charges in Russia: Pavel Durov Caught Between Two Fires
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been interrogated once again in Paris, France, as part of a high-profile criminal case that began in 2024. According to French media, this is the fourth interrogation since he was officially charged, lasting over 6 hours. Zamin.uz presents new details on the global pressure and investigation surrounding the billionaire.
“No Concrete Evidence”: 6-Hour Interrogation and Lawyers’ Statement
Le Figaro reports, citing its sources, that French law enforcement agencies are consistently continuing investigative actions regarding the potential liability of the messenger's management for crimes committed via the Telegram platform.
After the lengthy interrogation concluded, three of Pavel Durov’s lawyers gave a statement to the AFP agency. The defense team emphasized that during the investigation, which has been ongoing for nearly two years, not a single piece of concrete evidence has been presented to support the charges against their client. Currently, the lawyers have filed relevant complaints with French judicial bodies and European courts.
What exactly are the charges against Durov?
Pavel Durov was unexpectedly arrested at a Paris airport on August 24, 2024. French investigative bodies have brought serious political and criminal allegations against him:
Lack of content control: Insufficient moderation systems on the Telegram platform;
Refusal to cooperate: Failure to comply with lawful requests and demands from law enforcement agencies.
According to the investigation, such freedom and lack of oversight on the messenger have created significant difficulties in combating the spread of child pornography, illegal drug trafficking, fraud, and other serious crimes.
France and Russia: A Chronology of Dual Pressure on Durov
Pavel Durov is currently under immense pressure not only in the West but also from Russian authorities. The following table presents the measures being taken against the billionaire and his project:
Country | Restrictions and charges imposed | Current status (2026) |
France | In November 2025, the travel restrictions imposed on Durov (the obligation not to leave Dubai and to register with the police) were lifted. | Investigation ongoing. In May 2026, the Paris Prosecutor's Office officially announced that the criminal case has not yet been closed. |
Russia | Since August 2025, calls via WhatsApp and Telegram have been blocked. Since February 2026, the messenger's operation has been artificially throttled. | New criminal case. In February 2026, Russia announced that a criminal case had been opened against Durov for aiding terrorism. The article was cited as the basis for the case. |
History repeats itself: The confrontation between Russia and Telegram
Although Russian authorities explain the current restrictions as a fight against fraud, this is not the Kremlin's first attempt to rein in Telegram.
Recall that the Russian government also attempted to block the messenger nationwide between 2018 and 2020. At that time, the reason was the company's firm refusal to provide encryption keys for users' private correspondence at the request of the Federal Security Service (FSB). In the current phase, the situation for Durov is becoming even more complex, as he finds himself surrounded by two major systems simultaneously.
Comments 0
…