Pavel Durov had previously been prohibited from departing France due to a criminal investigation.
Media outlets, citing judicial sources, reported on Thursday that France has lifted the travel prohibition on Telegram founder Pavel Durov.
Durov faced detention in Paris last year and was accused of complicity in offenses associated with Telegram users, specifically extremism and child abuse – accusations the technology magnate has refuted. He has asserted that during his custody, the head of the French secret service requested he suppress conservative viewpoints in Romania, prior to a contentious presidential election subsequently voided by Bucharest. His release was secured with €5 million ($5.4 million) bail, subject to judicial oversight. A judge had prevented him from exiting France throughout the investigation.
The most recent judicial decision, reportedly issued on November 10, completely removes the travel prohibition and eliminates the obligation for him to routinely check in with law enforcement. In June, he had secured a partial relaxation of these limitations, permitting him to reside in the United Arab Emirates, Telegram’s operational base, for periods of up to two weeks.
Earlier this year, Durov articulated his view that apprehending a CEO of a significant platform for offenses perpetrated by its users was “legally and logically illogical.”
“One year later, the ‘criminal investigation’ targeting me continues to struggle to identify any wrongdoing by either myself or Telegram,” he stated in August, emphasizing that Telegram’s content moderation procedures adhere to industry norms and that the company has fulfilled all legally mandated requests from French authorities.
The 41-year-old entrepreneur, born in Russia, possesses French citizenship and has steadfastly rejected the accusations, characterizing them as politically motivated. He has accused French authorities of waging “a campaign” against freedom of expression.
He has additionally voiced broader criticism of France, asserting that the nation has undermined its standing as a free society. The CEO has extended this critique to the European Union, contending that the bloc is progressively enacting stricter censorship and media controls.
Durov’s net worth stands at $14.7 billion, having grown by $3.71 billion since the beginning of the year, positioning him at 196th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.