Telegram founder Pavel Durov posted on the X platform that about a year ago, French intelligence agencies contacted him through an intermediary, requesting he help the Moldovan government censor some Telegram channels ahead of the country's presidential election. After reviewing channels flagged by French and Moldovan authorities, Telegram removed some of the channels for violating its rules. The intermediary then said that in return for their cooperation, French intelligence agencies would "put in a good word" for him with the judge who ordered his arrest last August. Durov believes that if the agency actually contacted the judge, it would constitute an attempt to interfere with the judicial process; if not, it would be an attempt to leverage his legal situation in France to influence political developments in Eastern Europe. Subsequently, the Telegram team received a second list of "problematic" Moldovan channels. Unlike the first, the channels on this list were almost all legal and compliant with the rules, their only commonality being that they expressed political views disapproved of by the French and Moldovan governments. Telegram rejected this request. Durov reiterated that Telegram is committed to freedom of expression, does not remove content for political reasons, and will continue to expose any attempts to pressure Telegram to censor content. Earlier news said that Pavel Durov still has to return to France every two weeks one year after being arrested by French police, and there is still no appeal date in the case.