Key Takeaways:
- A French court docket denied Pavel Durov permission to attend the Oslo Freedom Discussion board.
- Durov stays below authorized restrictions in France after being indicted on six costs tied to Telegram’s misuse.
- He accused French intelligence of pressuring him to censor political content material
Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov is not going to seem in particular person on the Oslo Freedom Discussion board after a French court docket denied his request to journey to Norway, regardless of his scheduled function as a keynote speaker.
The Human Rights Basis (HRF), which organizes the annual occasion targeted on civil liberties and dissent, confirmed that Durov will ship his speech remotely.
“It’s unlucky that French courts would block Mr. Durov from taking part in an occasion the place his voice is so wanted,” mentioned HRF founder Thor Halvorssen.
France Blocks Durov’s US Journey Amid Authorized Dispute
Final week, Durov was additionally barred from touring to the US for investment-related conferences after French authorities dominated the journey was not important.
Durov, who was indicted on six costs in September 2024 following his arrest at a French airport, stays below strict authorized supervision and can’t depart France with out prior approval.
Though Durov was beforehand granted permission to journey to Dubai earlier this yr, the Paris prosecutor’s workplace denied his latest requests, citing an absence of justification.
Durov holds a number of citizenships, together with France and the UAE, however stays tied to France because of ongoing authorized proceedings.
A French court docket has denied Telegram founder Pavel @durov's request to journey to Norway with a view to converse on the 2025 #OsloFreedomForum. pic.twitter.com/cU5LJBpg90
— Human Rights Basis (HRF) (@HRF) Could 24, 2025
Tensions have escalated as Durov publicly accused French officers of pressuring him to censor conservative content material on Telegram throughout Romania’s presidential election.
On Could 18, he alleged that Nicolas Lerner, head of France’s home intelligence company, personally requested that he suppress conservative political voices on Telegram forward of Romania’s presidential elections.
Durov claims the assembly occurred on the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris and that he refused to conform.
“You’ll be able to’t ‘defend democracy’ by destroying democracy,” Durov wrote in a put up, including that Telegram would somewhat depart total markets than take part in political censorship.
He emphasised that the platform has by no means blocked protesters in nations like Russia, Belarus, or Iran and won’t start doing so in Europe.
Whereas Durov will miss the discussion board in particular person, his distant keynote is anticipated to deal with the rising strain tech firms face from governments, particularly in election cycles.
Telegram Removes $35B Crime Networks
Telegram has taken down hundreds of channels linked to Chinese language-language cybercrime hubs Xinbi Assure and Huione Assure, following an investigation by blockchain analytics agency Elliptic.
These teams have been tied to over $35 billion in illicit USDT transactions, providing companies starting from cash laundering and pretend IDs to stolen information and cyber extortion.
Huione, allegedly linked to Cambodia’s ruling elite, has facilitated $27 billion in prison exercise, whereas Xinbi has processed $8.4 billion since 2022.
These marketplaces used Telegram’s encrypted infrastructure to function brazenly, promoting instruments for fraud and laundering crypto from scams comparable to “pig butchering” and even hacks just like the WazirX breach tied to North Korean actors.
The platforms have additionally been linked to human trafficking compounds in Southeast Asia, the place victims are coerced into romance scams and monetary fraud.
These compounds, disguised as job presents, exploit weak people and pressure them into working cybercrime schemes below duress.
Telegram’s function in enabling this ecosystem has come below scrutiny. Whereas the app was designed for privateness, its construction has more and more been leveraged by organized crime.
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