Verification Summary:

• This statement is accurately attributed to Telegram's founder Pavel Durov who made this declaration on May 18, 2025, during Romania's presidential election run-off. He explicitly stated: "Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users or block their political channels"¹²³.

• Context of the statement: Durov claimed he received a request from a "Western European government" (implied to be France via a baguette emoji) to silence conservative voices in Romania ahead of the election, which he "flatly refused"⁴¹³².

• Multiple independent sources confirm this statement was published on Telegram by Durov himself, and was widely reported by Reuters, Anadolu Agency, and other international news outlets²⁴³.

• French government denied the allegations that they requested such censorship³⁵, but this doesn't affect the validity of Durov's statement about Telegram's policy position.

• Important distinction: This is Telegram's stated policy position/intent, not an absolute guarantee. The claim database notes that while Telegram has this stated position, they do process legitimate legal requests from Romanian authorities regarding specific user data¹.

Overall validity: 95%

1. Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users
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