Telegram founder Pavel Durov expressed confusion regarding his detention in France last August, which he suspects may have political motives tied to a crackdown on alleged illicit activity on his messaging platform. In his first interview since the incident, Durov claimed that French authorities showed a keen interest in the workings of Telegram while alleging his complicity in criminal activity without due process. He refuted claims regarding failure to respond to legal requests and described the interpretation of complicity as overly broad. Durov remains under judicial control due to an ongoing investigation with potential prison time of up to 10 years. During the interview, Tucker Carlson also highlighted the unconventional manner of Durov's detention, which he believed was meant to humiliate him. Durov noted a significant public outcry, with over 9 million Telegram users signing a petition for his release. Despite the situation, Telegram continues to thrive, boasting one billion monthly active users as of March 2025.

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