Telegram has had a tough few weeks. The messaging app's founder, Pavel Durov, was arrested in late August and later released on a €5 million bail in

The social media platform is “committed to turn moderation on Telegram from an area of criticism into one of praise,” its CEO said.

Durov, 39, was accused of failing to curb illegal content including child pornography on Telegram, ordered to pay 5 million euros ($5.6 million) bail and required to report to a police station twice a week. He is barred from leaving France.

In a Telegram post, Durov defended himself against the French judicial investigation, suggesting that he personally shouldn’t have been targeted.

When Durov was arrested, he claimed he had come to France to meet President Emmanuel Macron. The police didn’t take this seriously and took him to an anti-fraud unit in a Paris suburb. Durov tried to call Xavier Niel, a well-known French billionaire, but it didn’t help, and he was held in custody for four days.

Pavel Durov, the Russian billionaire founder of Telegram, has been barred from leaving France following his arrest.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov breaks silence after his arrest in France, defending the platform's moderation efforts and criticizing authorities' approach

In a Telegram post late Thursday, Durov defended himself against the French judicial investigation, suggesting that he shouldn't have been targeted personally.

Spread the loveIn a rare public statement, Telegram founder Pavel Durov has defended his messaging app, marking his first public comments since his arrest in 2017. Durov, known for his enigmatic persona,