Crypto Community Supports Telegram CEO to Reject Censorship Request from European Government!

Jakarta, Pintu News – Pavel Durov, the founder of encrypted messaging app Telegram, rejected a request from one of the Western European governments to censor conservative voices ahead of the presidential election in Romania. The move received widespread support from the global crypto community, which saw it as a defense of free speech and decentralization principles in the digital age.

Rejection of Censorship Ahead of Election

On May 18, 2025, Pavel Durov expressed his opposition through his personal Telegram channel. In the post, he emphasized that democracy cannot be protected by violating it. “You can’t ‘defend democracy’ by destroying it. You can’t ‘fight election interference’ by interfering in elections,” Durov wrote. He emphasized that Romanians are entitled to freedom of speech and fair elections.

Although Durov did not explicitly mention the country that made the censorship request, the use of the baguette emoji in his message led to speculation that it was France. The French government has denied any involvement and expressed its support for the democratic process in Romania.

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Support from Crypto and Tech Communities

Durov’s actions have been positively received by figures in the cryptocurrency world. Telegram is known as a popular platform among developers, traders, and privacy advocates in the crypto community. They view Durov as an important figure in maintaining digital freedom.

Several industry leaders praised Durov’s stance as the “gold standard” for other tech platforms in the face of political pressure. The CEO of video platform Rumble, Chris Pavlovski, expressed his support and emphasized the need for more tech founders who dare to defend the principle of free speech.

Telegram has a history of maintaining a neutral approach to government censorship requests. Unlike other platforms that often comply with content removal orders, Telegram has been known to provide space for independent voices, especially in countries with limited media freedom.

Durov’s tension with European governments

Durov’s relationship with European authorities has long been strained. In August 2024, he was briefly detained at Paris airport by French police in connection with an investigation into illegal content on Telegram, including alleged drug trafficking and extremist propaganda.

The arrests have been widely condemned as politically motivated. Critics accused France of trying to force Telegram to implement stricter controls and censorship policies, which contradicts the value of freedom of communication.

French President Emmanuel Macron denied the allegations and expressed his commitment to freedom of expression. However, the statement did not convince the crypto community and digital freedom activists.

A Call for Digital Freedom

Durov emphasized that Telegram has always responded to legitimate law enforcement requests through legal mechanisms, including in France. But he highlighted that the request in this case was made outside of proper legal channels, calling it a violation of the principle of justice.

For the crypto community, free speech and decentralization are two sides of the same coin. In their view, Durov is not just the founder of a messaging app, but the guardian of the infrastructure of free communication in the digital age.

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Reference:

• Cryptopolitan. Crypto Backs Durov Against EU Censorship. Accessed May 20, 2025.
• Featured Image: Cryptopolitan