RT-Engels: 15-03-2025,
Russian tech mogul was charged with multiple offenses related to “illegal content” on his platform
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been granted permission to temporarily leave France amid an ongoing investigation into alleged criminal activity on his messaging platform, AFP reported on Saturday, citing anonymous sources.
The Russian entrepreneur, who also holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis, was arrested at Paris–Le Bourget Airport in August 2024. French authorities charged him with facilitating the distribution of child sexual exploitation material and drug trafficking due to alleged moderation failures on Telegram. He was later released on €5 million ($5.46 million) bail but was barred from leaving France and required to check in with police twice a week.
According to AFP, “the investigating judge accepted Durov’s request to modify the conditions of his supervision several days ago,” allowing him to travel abroad for several weeks.
“He departed France this morning,” a source told the agency on Saturday, while another confirmed he left for Dubai, where he had lived for seven years before his arrest.
A Telegram spokeswoman declined to comment when contacted by AFP, stating that the company would issue a statement later.
Durov has denied any wrongdoing, arguing that he should not be held responsible for user-generated content on Telegram. At a January court hearing, he told judges that the platform removes “between 15 and 20 million user accounts for breaking the law” each month and deletes child exploitation material “the same day.”
Telegram has also increased cooperation with law enforcement,