---
title: "Telegram will not block the political channels of Romanian users"
claim_id: "CBkG9vRT2rNowoniAmMo"
validity: 95
model: accounts/fireworks/models/kimi-k2p5
---

# Claim: Telegram will not block the political channels of Romanian users

Verdict: 95%
Model: Kimi K2.5
Checked on: 05/04/2026

## Verdict explanation

**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"[^5][^2][^4].

- **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"[^3][^5][^4][^2].

- **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 outlets[^2][^3][^4].

- **French government denied** the allegations that they requested such censorship[^4][^1], 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 data[^5].

**Overall validity**: 95%

[^5]:
    [Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users](/claim/iMlj92UEu1TpCwVHLFou)

[^2]:
    [Telegram head says he refused request to 'silence' conservative ...](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/telegram-head-says-he-refused-request-to-silence-conservative-channels-in-romania/3572408)

[^4]:
    [Telegram founder says he rejected a Western request to silence ...](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/telegram-founder-says-he-rejects-request-silence-conservative-voices-romania-2025-05-18/)

[^3]:
    [Telegram Founder Durov Says He Rejected Western Request to ...](https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/05/18/telegram-founder-durov-says-he-rejected-western-request-to-silence-conservative-voices-in-romania-a89119)

[^1]:
    ['Completely unfounded allegations' Telegram's founder accused ...](https://meduza.io/en/feature/2025/05/20/completely-unfounded-allegations)

## Sources using this claim (1)

- [A Western European government (guess which 🥖) approached Telegram asking us to silence conservati…](/source/x:durov:1924124841629651023) — Unknown — 15 views