Pavel Durov, founder and chief executive of Telegram, has criticized France, arguing that the country is not free and accusing it of “criminally persecuting” social networks that provide users with a degree of freedom.
Reacting to reports that French police were raiding the Paris offices of social media platform X, Durov wrote on X: “Don’t be mistaken: this is not a free country,” News.Az reports.
“French police is currently raiding X’s office in Paris. France is the only country in the world that is criminally persecuting all social networks that give people some degree of freedom (Telegram, X, TikTok…). Don’t be mistaken: this is not a free country,” Durov stated.
French police is currently raiding X’s office in Paris. France is the only country in the world that is criminally persecuting all social networks that give people some degree of freedom (Telegram, X, TikTok…). Don’t be mistaken: this is not a free country.
— Pavel Durov (@durov) February 3, 2026
On Tuesday, French cybercrime police raided X’s offices in Paris. The Paris prosecutor’s office said the operation is linked to an investigation into content recommended by the platform’s algorithm and its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok.
The investigation into X, which was expanded on Tuesday, includes allegations of complicity in the distribution of pornographic images involving minors and the dissemination of Holocaust denial content through Grok.
Durov himself remains under judicial supervision in France following his arrest in 2024, although reports indicate that a travel ban imposed on him was lifted in November 2025.