France blocks Durov from attending Oslo Freedom Forum

A French court has denied Telegram founder Pavel Durov’s request to travel to Norway for the Oslo Freedom Forum, scheduled for May 26, 2025. Durov was invited to speak at the event, hosted by the Human Rights Foundation, to discuss issues of free speech, digital rights, and government surveillance.

Since his arrest in August 2024 at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, Durov has been under judicial supervision in France. He faces charges of facilitating the distribution of illegal content via Telegram, including child abuse material, narcotics trafficking, and money laundering. Under current restrictions, he must check in with police twice a week, has posted a €6 million bond, and is prohibited from leaving France without court approval.

Earlier in May, French authorities also rejected a separate request from Durov to travel to the United States to meet with investment partners, deeming it “unjustified.”

Despite the travel ban, Durov is expected to address the Oslo forum remotely via video link. Forum organizers expressed disappointment with the court’s decision, emphasizing the importance of Durov’s voice in discussions on digital freedoms.

Separately, Durov claimed that Nicolas Lerner, head of France’s external intelligence agency DGSE, pressured him to block conservative Romanian Telegram channels ahead of that country’s elections. French officials denied the allegation, stating that their engagement with Durov concerned counterterrorism and child protection efforts only.