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France lifts travel ban on Telegram CEO Pavel Durov

PARIS — Telegram chief Pavel Durov is once again free to travel as he pleases.

The social media entrepreneur’s judicial supervision and prohibition on leaving France without authorization has been lifted by the courts, according to an official familiar with the proceedings, confirming reports from Bloomberg and AFP.

The Telegram founder was arrested in France in August 2024 and charged with several organized crime offenses. Prosecutors accuse Durov and his Telegram messaging service of refusing to cooperate with authorities in proceedings to combat illegal content, including child pornography.

Following his late-night arrest at Le Bourget airport, the courts placed Durov under strict judicial supervision, preventing him from leaving French territory. This was subsequently relaxed on several occasions before being lifted completely in November.

Durov has been questioned three times during the investigation, most recently at the end of July. His lawyers stated that they “strongly contest the legality of the investigation into our client and the numerous investigative actions carried out in violation of domestic and European law.”

Using social media, Durov has stepped up attacks on the French political and judicial system since his arrest.

Contacted by POLITICO, the Paris public prosecutor’s office did not respond to requests for comment, nor did Durov’s lawyers, Christophe Ingrain, Guillaume Martine, Robin Binsard and David-Olivier Kaminski.

LP Staff Writers

Writers at Lord’s Press come from a range of professional backgrounds, including history, diplomacy, heraldry, and public administration. Many publish anonymously or under initials—a practice that reflects the publication’s long-standing emphasis on discretion and editorial objectivity. While they bring expertise in European nobility, protocol, and archival research, their role is not to opine, but to document. Their focus remains on accuracy, historical integrity, and the preservation of events and individuals whose significance might otherwise go unrecorded.

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