New Delhi, Dec. 25 -- As US sanctions EU's top tech regulator, Telegram founder claims French president exploits flagging approval ratings to silence critics through unprecedented digital surveillance and content control measures.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has launched a scathing attack against French President Emmanuel Macron, accusing him of attempting to transform the European Union into a "digital gulag" through aggressive censorship policies and mass surveillance measures. The explosive allegation, made on Wednesday, comes as the United States imposed visa restrictions on five European officials, including a close Macron ally, for allegedly pressuring American tech platforms to silence dissenting voices.

"The sanctioned architec...