The Agence France-Presse reports that Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has been granted permission to temporarily leave France. This move comes as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged criminal activities linked to the messaging app.
Durov, who holds Russian, French, and UAE passports, was detained at Le Bourget airport near Paris in August 2024 and charged with multiple infractions, including failing to curb extremist content. He was released on a €5 million bail and had been prohibited from leaving France until now.
An investigating judge has authorized Durov to leave for several weeks, and he is believed to have departed for Dubai on Saturday morning. This decision marks a relaxation of his obligations under the probe, which has strained relations between Paris and Moscow and sparked debates on free speech and digital regulation.
Durov’s departure has been met with mixed reactions, with some viewing it as a victory for freedom of speech, while others question whether it signals a strategic mover to evade further legal complications.
The case continues to attract international attention, with support from figures like Elon Musk, who has publicly backed Durov.
