Telegram Tangle: Travel Ban Imposed on CEO Pavel Durov by France
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been barred from leaving France without official permission from the French government, according to a report by Politico. The ban follows his arrest in August 2024 in France, where he was later charged with allegedly enabling illegal activities via the Telegram platform. The report was cited by Engadget.
Among the serious allegations against Durov are facilitation of money laundering and the distribution of child sexual abuse material through the platform. French authorities deemed his request to travel to the United States for investment meetings as “unnecessary and unreasonable,” effectively denying him the opportunity.
Earlier, in March 2025, Durov was granted permission to travel to the United Arab Emirates, where he holds citizenship.
Following Durov’s arrest, Telegram issued a statement affirming that it complies with applicable laws, including the European Union’s Digital Services Act, and is continually improving its content moderation practices. In September, the company agreed for the first time to provide users’ IP addresses and phone numbers in response to legal requests. In December, it formed a partnership with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to block CSAM-related links.
