France Lifts Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s Travel Ban

French authorities have lifted the travel ban on Telegram CEO Pavel Durov amid an ongoing investigation into the messaging platform.

Durov had been ordered to stay in France after his arrested in Paris last Augustfacing several charges related to its Telegram operation.

Durov was first temporary exemption agreementand the French authorities have now completely lifted the restrictions on their travel, Bloomberg reported on Thursday

As part of the latest decision, dated Monday, officials also removed the requirement for Durov to regularly check in at a local police station, the report said, citing a person familiar with the matter.

The investigation is still ongoing

The report did not mention any details regarding the French investigation into Telegram, hinting that the case is still ongoing.

According to an official statement on preliminary charges from the French Prosecutor’s Office, Durov was accused last year of facilitate a platform that allows illicit transactions. Prosecutors said the Telegram CEO faces up to 10 years in prison, in addition to a $550,000 fine.

Telegram and Durov have repeatedly denied the accusations, emphasizing the messenger’s compliance with industry standards and European Union laws.

While denying the charges, Durov still has criticized the French governmentincluding French President Emmanuel Macron, regarding what Durov describes as the country’s political trajectory around censorship.

“Emmanuel Macron is not making the right choices. I am very disappointed. France is becoming weaker and weaker,” Durov said in an interview with the French outlet Le Point in June.

Related: Telegram’s Pavel Durov presents a decentralized AI network built on TON

In October, the CEO of Telegram warned of the possible consequences of the EU chat control proposalurged the world to fight against the “dystopian” measures proposed by the EU.

“Germany is persecuting anyone who dares to criticize officials on the Internet. The United Kingdom is imprisoning thousands for their tweets. France is criminally investigating technology leaders who defend freedom and privacy,” Durov. he wrote in a post X on October 9.