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France bars Telegram founder Pavel Durov from visiting US for a business trip
French authorities have refused to grant Telegram founder Pavel Durov permission to travel to the United States for meetings with potential investors, citing a lack of justification for the trip.
The Paris prosecutor's office said the decision was made on May 12, stating that Durov's request to travel 'did not appear imperative or justified', as reported by POLITICO. The denial comes amid ongoing legal proceedings against the tech entrepreneur.
Durov, a dual citizen of France and the United Arab Emirates, has been under judicial supervision in France since his arrest at a French airport in August 2024. He was formally indicted in September on six charges linked to illegal activity conducted via Telegram, the encrypted messaging platform he operates.
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Durov must seek official approval for any international travel as part of his bail conditions. He was previously authorised to visit Dubai between March 15 and April 7.
His legal team in France did not immediately respond to media queries, and his U.S. spokesperson has also remained silent on the matter.
Durov's relationship with French authorities has grown increasingly strained in recent months. On the day of Romania's presidential election runoff, he accused the French government — including Nicolas Lerner, head of the country's foreign intelligence service — of pressuring him to silence conservative voices on Telegram ahead of the vote. French officials swiftly and strongly rejected the accusation.
The Telegram founder's restricted mobility and deepening clash with Paris come at a time when his platform faces mounting scrutiny over its role in facilitating unmoderated content and encrypted communications.
The arrest of Durov last year ignited a debate about free speech online. Musk, who criticized the arrest of Durov, is also being probed by French prosecutors over alleged algorithmic bias on X.
Musk has used X to personally support right-wing parties and causes in countries including Germany and Britain, leading to concerns about undue foreign interference.
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Earlier this month, OpenMinds, a tech company focused on countering authoritarian influence, said it found that 24% of Romanian-language Telegram channels were spreading what it called Kremlin-backed disinformation.
Telegram said at the time users receive only the content they explicitly subscribe to.
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