Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov will not appear in person at the Oslo Freedom Forum after a French court denied his request to travel to Norway, despite his scheduled role as a keynote speaker.
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF), which organizes the annual event focused on civil liberties and dissent, confirmed that Durov will deliver his speech remotely.
Durov, who was indicted on six charges in September 2024 following his arrest at a French airport, remains under strict legal supervision and cannot leave France without prior approval. Although Durov was previously granted permission to travel to Dubai earlier this year, the Paris prosecutor’s office denied his recent requests, citing a lack of justification.
Last week, Durov was also barred from traveling to the United States for investment-related meetings after French authorities ruled the trip was not essential.
He emphasized that the platform has never blocked protesters in countries like Russia, Belarus, or Iran and will not begin doing so in Europe. While Durov will miss the forum in person, his remote keynote is expected to address the growing pressure tech companies face from governments, especially in election cycles.
“You can’t ‘defend democracy’ by destroying democracy,” Durov wrote in a post, adding that Telegram would rather leave entire markets than participate in political censorship.
Durov claims the meeting took place at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris and that he refused to comply.
These groups have been tied to over $35 billion in illicit USDT transactions, offering services ranging from money laundering and fake IDs to stolen data and cyber extortion. Huione, allegedly linked to Cambodia’s ruling elite, has facilitated $27 billion in criminal activity, while Xinbi has processed $8.4 billion since 2022.
Telegram has taken down thousands of channels linked to Chinese-language cybercrime hubs Xinbi Guarantee and Huione Guarantee, following an investigation by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic.