Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the messaging app Telegram, has been permitted to return home to Dubai while French authorities continue their unusual legal proceedings against him.
The tech billionaire was detained in August after being accused of failing to properly moderate his app to curb criminal activities.
Durov has denied allegations that he did not cooperate with law enforcement on issues like drug trafficking, child sexual abuse material, and fraud. Telegram has also rejected claims that it lacks sufficient moderation.
This marks the first time a tech leader has been arrested in connection with criminal activity on their platform. In a post on his Telegram channel, Durov shared, “The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home.”
The 40-year-old was arrested in August 2024 upon his arrival in Paris on his private jet, and French authorities initially barred him from leaving the country.
However, the Paris prosecutor’s office informed the BBC on Monday that the “obligations of judicial supervision” had been temporarily lifted from March 15 to April 7. No further details were provided about the conditions of his release from France.
Durov, who resides in Dubai, holds Russian citizenship and also has citizenship in France, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Telegram, which has around 950 million users globally, is particularly popular in Russia, Ukraine, former Soviet Union states, and Iran. The app has built its reputation as one that prioritizes user privacy, distinguishing it from other major social media platforms that follow more traditional policies.
However, reports from the BBC and other news outlets have raised concerns about criminals using Telegram to promote drug trafficking, cybercrime, fraud, and even child sexual abuse material. One expert referred to the app as “the dark web in your pocket.”
Telegram has previously argued that Durov’s arrest is unjust and that he should not be held responsible for the actions of users on the platform.
From his home in Dubai, Durov expressed his gratitude to the French judges for allowing him to return and thanked his legal team for their “relentless efforts” in demonstrating that Telegram has not only met but exceeded its legal obligations when it comes to moderation, cooperation, and fighting crime.
Since his arrest, Telegram has made several changes to its operations, including joining the Internet Watch Foundation to help identify, remove, and report child sexual abuse material online. The company has also stated that it will share IP addresses and phone numbers of rule violators with authorities in response to valid legal requests and has started publishing transparency reports detailing content removal—an industry standard it had previously resisted.
