Pavel Durov says governments are targeting Telegram over political demands

BREAKING: Telegram CEO Pavel Durov says governments have targeted the platform after it refused what he describes as secret political demands.
Durov says Telegram has been privately asked to provide political favors including illegal censorship and surveillance across multiple countries.
He claims refusals were followed by coordinated campaigns portraying Telegram as a platform dominated by criminal activity.
Durov also questioned whether the ongoing French investigation against him is politically motivated.
The dispute adds another layer of regulatory and political risk around Telegram and its broader ecosystem.