Telegram co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov, who was arrested last year in France over allegations concerning illegal material shared on his crypto-friendly messaging app, has been granted temporary permission to leave the country. Starting July 10, Durov will be allowed to travel to Dubai, where Telegram's headquarters are located, for a period of up to two weeks. This marks the second time French authorities have permitted him short-term travel outside France since his detention.
The case revolves around accusations that Telegram was used for sharing illegal content and that the platform did not do enough to moderate its services. Additionally, French officials investigated Durov for employing certain cryptographic techniques on the app without authorization. To secure his release conditions, Durov posted a €5 million bond and agreed to report to authorities twice weekly. As part of ongoing cooperation, Telegram updated its app to enable the identification of users attempting to share illicit content by passing their IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities.
Durov's arrest and the allegations have drawn significant attention and criticism from the crypto community and notable figures such as Edward Snowden and Elon Musk, who condemned the French law enforcement's actions. Despite regulatory challenges leading to the abandonment of Telegram's blockchain project The Open Network (TON) in 2020, TON’s development continues independently, and its native token TON remains popular within the app.
In related developments, Durov has been outspoken about civil liberties and free speech. He has criticized French government policies, warning of societal decline resulting from overregulation and pro-censorship measures. His legal battle is viewed by many as emblematic of broader issues concerning digital freedom, privacy, and innovation within Europe and beyond.