Pavel Durov rejects EU pressure to censor Romanian election content

Telegram founder Pavel Durov said he rejected pressure from a European Union (EU) country to censor political content on the social media platform ahead of the May 18 presidential elections in Romania.

According to Durov, a Western European government, which he hinted at with a baguette emoji, approached the platform and requested it censor conservative voices, which he flatly denied. Durov wrote in a May 18 Telegrampost:

The Telegram founder is anardent defender of free speech, who is highly regarded in the crypto community for his stances on freedom of expression, autonomy, privacy, and individual liberty.

Related:Pavel Durov says Telegram would exit markets before betraying users

Durov thrust into the spotlight following arrest in France

Pavel Durov wasarrested in Francein August 2024, sparking widespreadcondemnationfrom the crypto community and free speech advocates worldwide, who accused the French government oforchestrating a politically-motivated arrest.

French President Emmanuel Macrondenied the arrest was politicalwhile claiming the French government was “committed to freedom of expression and communication” in an August 26 Xpost.

“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,” Helius Labs CEO Mert Mumtazwrotein response to Macron.

Shortly after Durov’s arrest, Chris Pavlovski, the CEO of Rumble — a free speech online video platform —announcedthat hesafely departed the European Unionafter France threatened Rumble.

The CEO also criticized the French government for the arrest of the Telegram co-founder, characterizing it as an attempt to pressure him into censoring speech on the platform.

Durov maintains thatTelegram complies with lawful information requestsmade by law enforcement officials and said that the company has a legal representative in France who handles such requests.

The Telegram co-founder also criticized the French government for bypassing the legal representative and choosing to issue an arrest warrant instead.

Magazine:Did Telegram’s Pavel Durov commit a crime? Crypto lawyers weigh in

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