France Lifts Travel Ban on Telegram Founder Pavel Durov
France has officially rescinded its travel ban on Telegram founder Pavel Durov, allowing the tech entrepreneur to move freely across borders. The decision, reported in media outlets, marks a significant turning point in the ongoing legal battle involving Durov, who has long denied allegations of complicity in crimes linked to Telegram users. The French authorities had initially barred him from leaving the country as part of a criminal probe into charges of enabling extremism and child abuse on the messaging platform, which Durov has consistently rejected as politically motivated.
Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur with French citizenship, was detained in Paris last year and faced allegations that have been a major point of contention in his defense. During his detention, he claimed to have been approached by the head of the French secret service to censor conservative voices in Romania, ahead of a controversial presidential election that was later nullified in Bucharest. He was released on $5.4 million bail, under judicial supervision, but was still barred from leaving France during the ongoing investigation. The recent ruling, reportedly issued on November 10, has fully lifted all travel restrictions and removed the requirement for Durov to report regularly to police.
This marks a significant step in the case, with Durov now able to move freely without constraints. Previously, in June, he had obtained a partial easing of restrictions, allowing him to stay in the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is based, for up to two weeks at a time. The decision is expected to have legal and personal implications for Durov, who has maintained that the accusations against him are part of a broader campaign to suppress free speech. The tech tycoon has also voiced criticism of France’s approach to censorship, arguing that the country has damaged its reputation as a champion of free expression.
In addition to his legal battle, Durov has a net worth of $14.7 billion, having increased $3.71 billion since the start of the year, placing him in 196th place on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. His financial status and prominence have made the case a point of international interest, with many observers weighing in on the broader implications of how countries handle legal accusations against tech leaders. Durov has consistently defended his company’s moderation practices, stating that they are in line with industry standards and that Telegram has fully cooperated with French authorities in the past year.