The Russian tech entrepreneur faces charges related to “illegal content” found on his platform.
Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, has been authorized to leave France temporarily, as reported by AFP, citing sources familiar with the matter. This comes amidst an ongoing investigation into alleged illegal activities on his messaging service.
Durov, a Russian entrepreneur holding French, UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship, was taken into custody at Paris–Le Bourget Airport in August 2024. French authorities have accused him of facilitating the spread of child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, citing alleged shortcomings in Telegram’s content moderation. He was subsequently released on €5 million ($5.46 million) bail but was initially prohibited from leaving France and required to report to the police twice weekly.
AFP reports that “the investigating judge agreed to Durov’s request to modify the terms of his supervision several days ago,” thereby allowing him to travel outside the country for a limited period.
Durov states that Telegram has increased its cooperation with law enforcement, sharing data from roughly 10,000 user accounts in the last six months. In September 2024, the company updated its privacy policy, enabling the storage of metadata—including IP addresses, device information, and username changes—for up to one year. The policy specifies that this data can be provided to “relevant judicial authorities” if a user is suspected of unlawful activity.
Durov’s legal representatives have refuted the charges as unfounded, asserting that he should not be held responsible for crimes committed through the platform.
Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov has also voiced criticism of the case, deeming it “absurd” and likening it to arresting the heads of Renault or Citroën because terrorists have used their vehicles.
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