French authorities have temporarily lifted travel restrictions on Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, allowing him to leave France amid an ongoing probe into criminal activities on the platform. Durov, under investigation since August, has reportedly departed for Dubai after posting €5 million bail.
French authorities have allowed Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder and CEO of Telegram, to leave France temporarily in a loosening of his obligations under a probe into criminal activities on the messaging app, the French news agency AFP reported on Saturday.
Durov was arrested at an airport near Paris last August and subsequently placed under formal investigation, with a ban on leaving France.
The probe further soured relations between Paris and Moscow amid the war in Ukraine and fanned debate over the boundaries of free speech and law enforcement on internet platforms.
An investigating judge gave Durov permission to leave France for several weeks and he is thought to have departed on Saturday morning for Dubai, AFP said, citing unnamed sources.
The Paris prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
French prosecutors said last year they suspect Durov of complicity in running an online platform that allows a range of illegal activities including drug trafficking and money laundering.
Durov was also required to post bail of 5 million euros ($5.4 million).
Being placed under formal investigation in France does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to trial, but indicates judges consider there is enough evidence to proceed with the probe.
Authorities in Russia’s Dagestan and Chechnya regions have blocked access to the Telegram messaging app over concerns it could be used by hostile groups, according to regional officials quoted by the TASS state news agency.
Australia's eSafety Commission fined messaging platform Telegram about A$1 million for its delay in providing information on measures to prevent child abuse and violent extremist content, the regulator announced on Monday.
During an informal phone conversation on Saturday, the presidents of Russia, Belarus, and Tajikistan—Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, and Emomali Rahmon, respectively—gave a call to their Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, according to the Kremlin.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for March 17th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Major General Andrii Hnatov as Chief of the General Staff, replacing Lieutenant General Bargylevych, as part of efforts to modernise the military’s command structure.
Power is gradually being restored in parts of Havana after a nationwide blackout left millions without electricity. The outage, caused by a grid collapse on Friday evening, affected around 10 million people, with some areas seeing progress while large portions of Cuba remain in the dark.
US President Donald Trump announced he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, expressing optimism about the potential to end the ongoing conflict, following extensive discussions over the weekend.
The inside of a Herculaneum delicate & ancient scroll, unseen for nearly 2,000 years, has been revealed using Artificial Intelligence.
World leaders welcomed the 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has agreed to, calling it a step toward ending the conflict with Russia.
President Donald Trump has vowed to respond to the European Union's counter-tariffs, escalating tensions over the U.S. steel and aluminum duties that have sparked a trade dispute between the two economic powers.
In Tuesday’s closely watched parliamentary election, Greenland’s pro-business opposition Demokraatit party took a commanding lead after over 90% of the ballots were counted.
BioNTech forecasts a revenue decline for 2025, expecting between 1.7 billion and 2.2 billion euros, down from 2.75 billion euros last year. This drop is due to Pfizer write-downs and stable vaccination rates. BioNTech also plans significant job cuts and new hires.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for March 17th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Major General Andrii Hnatov as Chief of the General Staff, replacing Lieutenant General Bargylevych, as part of efforts to modernise the military’s command structure.
Power is gradually being restored in parts of Havana after a nationwide blackout left millions without electricity. The outage, caused by a grid collapse on Friday evening, affected around 10 million people, with some areas seeing progress while large portions of Cuba remain in the dark.
US President Donald Trump announced he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, expressing optimism about the potential to end the ongoing conflict, following extensive discussions over the weekend.
The interim government in Damascus will attend an international conference on Monday in Brussels to seek aid pledges for Syria, which continues to face significant humanitarian challenges and an uncertain political future following the departure of Bashar al-Assad.
During an informal phone conversation on Saturday, the presidents of Russia, Belarus, and Tajikistan—Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, and Emomali Rahmon, respectively—gave a call to their Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, according to the Kremlin.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for March 17th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Major General Andrii Hnatov as Chief of the General Staff, replacing Lieutenant General Bargylevych, as part of efforts to modernise the military’s command structure.
Power is gradually being restored in parts of Havana after a nationwide blackout left millions without electricity. The outage, caused by a grid collapse on Friday evening, affected around 10 million people, with some areas seeing progress while large portions of Cuba remain in the dark.
US President Donald Trump announced he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, expressing optimism about the potential to end the ongoing conflict, following extensive discussions over the weekend.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment