Telegram founder Pavel Durov has spoken publicly for the first time since he was detained in France in August. Durov expressed surprise at French authorities’ arrest of him and stressed that Telegram’s legal representative in France handles all regulatory requests and investigations.

Durov, a French citizen, said French authorities had multiple avenues to reach him before resorting to law enforcement and that he is a regular guest at the French Consulate in Dubai.

Durov said he is ready to leave jurisdictions hostile to Telegram’s mission of freedom of expression, adding, “We are not doing this for money, but to bring good and to defend people’s fundamental rights.”

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