PARIS: The Russian-born founder of messaging app Telegram Pavel Durov on Monday said it was “great to be home” after he was allowed to temporarily return to Dubai from France despite being investigated over illegal content on the popular service.
Durov, 40, was arrested in France last year, held for several days and charged over illegal content that was being posted on Telegram by users. He was released but not allowed to leave the country.
But he returned to the United Arab Emirates, where he lives and has nationality, at the weekend after receiving permission from the investigating magistrates in charge of the case to leave France.
“As you may have heard, I’ve returned to Dubai after spending several months in France due to an investigation related to the activity of criminals on Telegram,” Durov wrote in a post on Telegram.
“The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home,” he said.
He thanked the investigative judges “for letting this happen,” while adding that “for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations.”
Durov was able to leave France after the investigating judges — for a period of March 15 to April 7 — relieved him of his obligations under the measures of judicial control that had been imposed on him after he was released last year, the office of the Paris prosecutor told AFP on Monday.
He had been expected to report to police twice a week and was banned from leaving French territory, as well as posting five million euros in bail.
His August 2024 arrest was the first time the founder of a social media company was arrested over content on their platform. With more than 900 million active users, Telegram is one of top messaging apps in the world.
After days of questioning following his arrest, he was charged with several counts of failing to curb “extremist” and “terrorist” content.
Extracts from Durov’s questioning in December through an interpreter and seen by AFP showed that he initially blamed French authorities for failing to alert Telegram to alleged criminal activity.
He nevertheless admitted that, while in custody, he “realized the seriousness of all the allegations.”
Telegram’s Durov says ‘great to be home’ after leaving France
https://arab.news/v88jp
Telegram’s Durov says ‘great to be home’ after leaving France
- Russian-born founder of messaging app was allowed to temporarily return to Dubai after receiving permission from the investigating magistrates
- France authorities arrested, charged him with several counts of failing to curb “extremist” and “terrorist” content
Foreign press group welcomes Israel court deadline on Gaza access
- Supreme Court set deadline for responding to petition filed by the Foreign Press Association to Jan. 4
- Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, Israeli authorities have prevented foreign journalists from independently entering the Strip
JERUSALEM: The Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem on Sunday welcomed the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision to set January 4 as the deadline for Israel to respond to its petition seeking media access to Gaza.
Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, sparked by Palestinian militant group Hamas’s attack on Israel, Israeli authorities have prevented foreign journalists from independently entering the devastated territory.
Israel has instead allowed, on a case-by-case basis, a handful of reporters to accompany its troops into the blockaded Palestinian territory.
The Foreign Press Association (FPA), which represents hundreds of foreign journalists in Israel and the Palestinian territories, filed a petition to the supreme court last year, seeking immediate access for international journalists to the Gaza Strip.
On October 23, the court held a first hearing on the case, and decided to give Israeli authorities one month to develop a plan for granting access.
Since then the court has given several extensions to the Israeli authorities to come up with their plan, but on Saturday it set January 4 as a final deadline.
“If the respondents (Israeli authorities) do not inform us of their position by that date, a decision on the request for a conditional order will be made on the basis of the material in the case file,” the court said.
The FPA welcomed the court’s latest directive.
“After two years of the state’s delay tactics, we are pleased that the court’s patience has finally run out,” the association said in a statement.
“We renew our call for the state of Israel to immediately grant journalists free and unfettered access to the Gaza Strip.
“And should the government continue to obstruct press freedoms, we hope that the supreme court will recognize and uphold those freedoms,” it added.
An AFP journalist sits on the board of the FPA.
