France has rescinded its travel ban on Telegram founder Pavel Durov, ending the restrictions imposed during a criminal investigation. The decision, reportedly made on November 10, removes the requirement for Duro, a Russian-born French citizen, to report to police regularly. Durov was detained in Paris last year and charged with complicity in crimes related to Telegram users, including extremism and child abuse. He has denied these allegations, calling them politically motivated. The ruling comes after a partial easing of restrictions in June, which allowed him to stay in the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is based, for up to two weeks at a time.
Durov has consistently denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and part of a crusade against free speech. He accused French authorities of conducting a crusade against free speech, criticizing the country for damaging its reputation as a free society. The CEO has also extended his criticism to the European Union, arguing that the bloc is imposing increasingly tighter censorship and media restrictions.
In August, Durov expressed frustration over the lack of progress in the investigation, stating that the charges against him were still struggling to find any wrongdoing on his part or by Telegram. He emphasized that Telegram’s moderation practices are in line with industry standards and that the company has complied with all legally binding requests from French authorities. Durov, who holds French citizenship, has also faced legal challenges in the past, including a high-profile case over the 2017 Paris attacks, where he was acquitted of involvement in the crimes.
The 41-year-old entrepreneur, with a net worth of $14.7 billion, has seen his wealth increase by $3.71 billion since the start of the year, placing him in 196th place on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. His legal battles and public criticisms of French and European authorities have drawn significant media attention, making him a prominent figure in discussions about free speech, digital rights, and the regulation of online platforms.