French authorities have temporarily allowed Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder and CEO of Telegram, to leave France, easing restrictions imposed on him under an investigation into suspicious activity related to the messaging app, Agence France-Presse reported Saturday.
Durov was arrested at an airport near Paris last August and later placed under formal investigation and banned from leaving France.
The investigation has further strained relations between Paris and Moscow amid the war in Ukraine and has sparked debate about the limits of freedom of expression and law enforcement on online platforms.
Agence France-Presse, citing unnamed sources, reported that an investigating judge granted Durov permission to leave France for several weeks, and he is believed to have left this morning for Dubai.
French prosecutors announced last year that they suspected Durov of involvement in running an online platform that enabled a range of illegal activities, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
Authorities have asked Durov to post bail of 5 million euros, about $5.4 million.
Putting Durov under formal investigation in France does not mean a conviction or necessarily lead to a trial, but it indicates that judges believe there is sufficient evidence to proceed with the investigation.
Other allegations against Durov, a French citizen, include the use of his platform for child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, fraud, and solicitation of organized crime transactions, as well as Telegram's refusal to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.
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