Telegram CEO leaves France

French authorities have allowed Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, to temporarily leave the country. He is now believed to have gone to Dubai.

Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, is said to have left France for Dubai. Photo: Financial Times .

According to Reuters , French authorities have allowed Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, to temporarily leave the country. This decision is surprising because Durov is still under investigation for his involvement in criminal activities on Telegram.

An investigating judge has given Durov permission to leave France for several weeks, AFP reported, citing an unnamed source, saying he left on the morning of March 15 for Dubai. Reuters said the Paris prosecutor's office has not yet responded to a request for comment on the information.

In France, being placed under formal investigation does not mean a conviction or a trial. It only means that the judges believe there is enough evidence to allow further investigation.

Pavel Durov was arrested by the French government in August 2024 as part of an investigation into child abuse images, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on Telegram. He was accused of facilitating criminal activity, but was later released on €5 million bail.

He was released on bail on the condition that he report to police twice a week and not leave France. The charges against Durov include complicity in the distribution of child pornography and a series of other violations on the messaging app.

The arrest has also sparked criticism of Telegram, a popular platform with more than a billion users. The process and the laws that led to the arrest have been criticized by Pavel Durov, who said that if you are unhappy with your internet service, the right thing to do is to take legal action against the app, rather than hold individuals accountable.