Telegram founder Pavel Durov has made his first public statement following his arrest in France last month.
Arrest and Pavel Durov's Reaction
In a statement on his [Telegram Channel](https://t.me/durov/342), Pavel Durov expressed shock over his arrest, considering that Telegram has a legal representative in the European Union who handles regulatory requests.
Relations with French Authorities
Durov noted that the French authorities had various ways to contact him without resorting to law enforcement. As a French citizen who frequently visits the French Consulate in Dubai where he lives, Durov found the arrest a bit puzzling. He also mentioned that he had helped French officials in the past to set up a hotline with Telegram to address terrorism concerns, which makes the situation seem even more unexpected.
Telegram's Principles and Future
Durov stated that Telegram is strongly committed to protecting users' privacy and upholding free speech. He emphasized that these principles are the foundation of the platform and that Telegram is always willing to leave markets where governments demand compromises. He cited examples such as Russia banning Telegram for refusing to hand over encryption keys and a similar ban in Iran for not blocking protest channels. > We are prepared to leave markets that aren’t compatible with our principles because we are not doing this for money. We are driven by the intention to bring good and defend the basic rights of people, particularly in places where these rights are violated. However, Durov stressed that the platform is always open to working with regulators to find the right balance. Yet, in situations where an agreement can’t be reached, Telegram is ready to leave markets that demand a compromise on user privacy. > Sometimes we can’t agree with a country’s regulator on the right balance between privacy and security. In those cases, we are ready to leave that country. We’ve done it many times.
Pavel Durov's statement underscores Telegram's commitment to protecting users' privacy and free speech, even if it means leaving certain markets.
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