Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has refused pressure from a European Union country to censor political content ahead of Romania's presidential elections on May 18. Durov implied the country involved with a baguette emoji and stated that the government sought to censor conservative voices on the platform, a request he rejected. He emphasized that true democracy cannot be defended by undermining it and that efforts to combat election interference must not themselves interfere with democratic processes. Durov, who advocates for freedom of speech, critiqued the approach of the Western European government, arguing that the Romanian public deserves both free expression and fair elections. His stance has drawn widespread attention, especially following his arrest in France in 2024, which prompted outcry from free speech advocates. In addition, industry figures, including the CEO of Rumble, criticized the French government’s actions, viewing them as attempts to pressure Durov into censorship. Durov maintains that official requests for moderation would be handled through legal representatives, thus rejecting direct intervention by law enforcement.

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