French officials did not allow Telegram founder Pavel Durov to leave for the USA. This was reported by Politico, citing a statement from the Paris prosecutor's office. It was noted that the decision was made on May 12, and the reason given was that "there is no sufficient and necessary basis for such a trip."
Durov had announced that he planned this trip to negotiate with investment funds in America. However, the French government officially obstructed his departure.
Following this incident, another serious accusation emerged. On May 18, Pavel Durov stated in a message on Telegram that Nikolya Lerner, head of the French external intelligence service — DGSE, had personally invited him to a meeting at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris. According to him, Lerner asked via Telegram to "suppress the conservative vote" before the Romanian elections. Durov stated that he rejected this request.
French officials are vehemently denying these claims. Representatives of the DGSE emphasized in an official statement that they only discussed content related to terrorism and child pornography being disseminated through the messenger with Durov. They stated that there was no discussion of influencing or censoring elections during the meetings.
Currently, Pavel Durov remains under judicial supervision in France. He does not have the right to leave the country without government permission. Earlier, in the spring of 2025, the French government had granted him temporary permission to travel to Dubai.
For reference, Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris in August 2024. He has been accused of failing to block content promoting terrorism and prohibited content regarding children on the Telegram platform. Law enforcement agencies have stated that the messenger administration has systematically denied state demands.
The Zamin.uz editorial team continues to closely monitor the developments surrounding Telegram and Pavel Durov. Which side do you think is right in this situation? Do these events pose a threat to the freedom of messengers or stem from security needs?
