Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been barred from leaving France to attend meetings with American investment firms, following a decision by French authorities who deemed the trip neither necessary nor justified.
According to a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office to POLITICO, the decision was made on May 12, citing that Durov’s proposed travel to the United States did not meet the criteria of an essential or warranted trip.
Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur who also holds French and Emirati citizenships, has been under legal restrictions since his arrest at a French airport in August 2024. He was formally charged the following month with six offenses allegedly connected to illegal activities on Telegram, the messaging platform he created.
Under current court-imposed conditions, Durov cannot leave France without prior authorization. He was previously granted permission to travel to Dubai between March 15 and April 7. Durov’s legal representatives in France have not commented on the decision, and his U.S.-based spokesperson has also not responded to requests for comment.
Since his legal troubles began, Durov has become increasingly vocal in criticizing French authorities. Most recently, on the day of Romania’s presidential election runoff, he accused the French government — including Nicolas Lerner, head of France’s foreign intelligence service — of pressuring him to silence conservative voices on Telegram in the run-up to the vote.
The French government has firmly rejected Durov’s allegations.
