PARIS, March 15 (Reuters) - French authorities have granted Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder and CEO of Telegram, permission to temporarily leave France in connection with an investigation into criminal activities on the messaging app, reported the French news agency AFP on Saturday.
Durov was detained at an airport near Paris last August and subsequently put under judicial supervision, which included a travel ban. This development strained relations between Paris and Moscow amidst the conflict in Ukraine and sparked discussions on the intersection of free speech and regulation on online platforms.
After obtaining authorization from an investigating judge, Durov has reportedly left France for Dubai for several weeks as of Saturday morning, according to AFP sources who chose to remain anonymous.
The Paris prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
Last year, French prosecutors alleged that Durov was involved in operating an online platform facilitating various illicit activities such as drug trafficking and money laundering. Durov was also mandated to pay a bail of 5 million euros ($5.4 million).
It is important to note that being placed under formal investigation in France does not imply guilt or guarantee a trial but signals that there is adequate evidence for the probe to proceed.
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