Telegram founder Pavel Durov says he remains baffled by his detention in France, describing the incident as politically charged and unjustified. In his first interview since his August 2024 arrest, Durov said French prosecutors treated Telegram's operations as a mystery.

Durov was indicted on six charges, including complicity in criminal activity, money laundering, and failing to respond to legal requests. He denied the accusations, stating that a top-tier accounting firm audits Telegram and spends millions on compliance quarterly.

'We did nothing wrong,' he said, accusing French authorities of failing to follow due legal process.

Carlson criticized the arrest as an attempt to humiliate Durov and questioned why civil liberties advocates were silent.

In response, Durov pointed out that over nine million Telegram users have signed a letter demanding his release. He also emphasized that Telegram is prepared to leave countries that oppose its values.

Telegram's global user base continues to grow rapidly, reaching one billion monthly active users as of March 2025.