Telegram founder banned by French court from attending Oslo Freedom Forum in Norway

Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov was originally scheduled to attend the Oslo Freedom Forum in Oslo, Norway, but his request to leave the country was rejected by a French court. The organizer, Human Rights Foundation (HRF), stated that Durov will deliver his keynote speech through an online livestream.

Durov previously accused the head of the French intelligence agency, Nicolas Lerner, of requesting him to block conservative political content before the Romanian presidential election. Durov refused to cooperate and described the request as "undermining democracy in the name of democracy."

He emphasized that Telegram will not censor political speech in any market and stated that if faced with pressure to censor, they will choose to leave the market. He said, "We have not blocked protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran, and we will not do so in Europe."