Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has been permitted to fly home to Dubai as French authorities continue their unprecedented legal case against him.
The tech billionaire was arrested in August 2024 after being accused of failing to properly moderate Telegram to curb criminal activity.
Durov denies allegations that he did not cooperate with law enforcement regarding drug trafficking, child sexual abuse content, and fraud. Telegram has previously rejected claims of insufficient moderation.
His arrest marks the first time a tech leader has been detained over criminal activities occurring on their platform.
Durov expressed relief upon returning home, stating in a post on his Telegram channel: “The process is ongoing but it feels great to be home.”
Legal Proceedings and Temporary Release
The 40-year-old was detained in August upon arriving in Paris on his private jet, with French judges initially preventing him from leaving the country.
However, in a statement on Monday, a French court announced that “the obligations of judicial supervision” had been suspended between March 15 and April 7, allowing Durov to leave. No further details were provided regarding the conditions of his release.
Durov, who resides in Dubai, holds citizenship in Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates, and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Telegram is widely used in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet states, as well as in Iran.
Moderation and Policy Changes
With approximately 950 million users worldwide, Telegram has positioned itself as a privacy-focused platform, often diverging from the moderation policies of other major social media companies.
However, investigative reports from the BBC and other organizations have revealed that criminals have used the app to advertise drugs, engage in cybercrime, and distribute child sexual abuse material. One expert has even described Telegram as “the dark web in your pocket.”
Telegram has defended Durov, arguing that his arrest is unjust and that he should not be held responsible for user activity on the platform.
From Dubai, Durov expressed gratitude to the French judges for allowing him to return home. He also praised his legal team for their “relentless efforts in demonstrating that, when it comes to moderation, cooperation, and fighting crime, for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations.”
Since his arrest, Telegram has introduced several changes to its policies, including:
- Joining the Internet Watch Foundation program to identify and remove child sexual abuse material.
- Agreeing to share IP addresses and phone numbers of rule violators with law enforcement upon valid legal requests.
- Publishing transparency reports detailing content removals—an industry standard Telegram had previously resisted.
As legal proceedings continue, the case against Durov could have significant implications for tech companies and platform accountability worldwide.