French authorities have granted Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder and CEO of Telegram, permission to temporarily leave France, easing his restrictions amid an investigation into criminal activities on the messaging app, AFP reported on Saturday.
Durov was arrested at an airport near Paris last August and placed under formal investigation, with a travel ban preventing him from leaving France. The investigation further strained relations between Paris and Moscow during the ongoing war in Ukraine, and sparked discussions on the balance between free speech and law enforcement on online platforms. An investigating judge has now authorized Durov to leave France for several weeks, and sources told AFP that he is believed to have departed for Dubai on Saturday morning.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has not yet responded to a Reuters request for comment.
Last year, French prosecutors indicated that Durov is suspected of being complicit in operating an online platform that facilitates various illegal activities, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
Additionally, Durov was required to post a 5 million euro ($5.4 million) bail. Being placed under formal investigation does not imply guilt or automatically lead to a trial, but it suggests that judges believe there is enough evidence to continue the investigation.
