'Telegram Would Rather Exit Market Than Undermine Encryption With Backdoors': CEO Pavel Durov Hits Back at France’s Attempt To Compromise User Security With New Law
Telegram founder Pavel Durov shared a post on May 18, 2025, on X (formerly Twitter) and claimed that a Western European government had asked Telegram to silence conservative voices in Romania before the country’s presidential election. “I flatly refused,” Durov wrote. “Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users or block their political channels.” He strongly criticised the request, and said, “You can’t “defend democracy” by destroying democracy. You can’t “fight election interference” by interfering with elections.” In a follow-up post on May 19, Durov post read, “This spring at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon, Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, asked me to ban conservative voices in Romania ahead of elections. I refused. We didn’t block protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran. We won’t start doing it in Europe.” Byju Raveendran, CEO of Embattled BYJU’s, Says ‘I Am Not Giving Up…Will Come Back in Power’, Shares His Passion for Teaching Students.
Western European Government Approached Telegram
A Western European government (guess which 🥖) approached Telegram asking us to silence conservative voices in Romania ahead of today’s presidential elections. I flatly refused. Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users or block their political channels.
— Pavel Durov (@durov) May 18, 2025
Pavel Durov Says ‘You Can’t Defend Democracy by Destroying Democracy’
You can’t “defend democracy” by destroying democracy. 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. 🇷🇴
— Pavel Durov (@durov) May 18, 2025
Pavel Durov Says ‘Nicolas Lerner, Head of French Intelligence, Asked Me To Ban Conservative Voices in Romania Ahead of Elections’
This spring at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon, Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, asked me to ban conservative voices in Romania ahead of elections. I refused. We didn’t block protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran. We won’t start doing it in Europe.
— Pavel Durov (@durov) May 18, 2025
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