TELEGRAM FOUNDER DUROV HAS BEEN GRANTED TEMPORARY PERMISSION TO LEAVE FRANCE

Read Time:1 Minute, 7 Second

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been granted temporary permission to leave France, where he faces multiple charges related to allegedly enabling organized crime, sources told AFP.

A source familiar with the case confirmed that Durov departed France this morning with authorization from authorities.

According to another source, an investigating judge approved his departure for “several weeks.”

A third source stated that Durov was traveling to Dubai.

A Telegram spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by AFP, stating that the company would release a statement at a later time.

According to a source familiar with the case, the investigating judge approved Durov’s request to modify his supervision conditions several days ago.

Durov, now 40, was dramatically arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris in August 2024 and charged with multiple offenses linked to the messaging app he created. He had been prohibited from leaving France.

Following days of interrogation, he was charged with several counts of failing to prevent extremist and terrorist content on the platform and was released on bail of five million euros ($5.6 million).

Holding Russian, French, and UAE passports, Durov initially condemned his arrest but later took steps that appeared to comply with French authorities’ demands.

In January, he told French investigating magistrates that he “realised the seriousness of all the allegations”, according to a source.