Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, who faced charges in France linked to illicit activities on his platform, has been granted the temporary freedom to leave the country.

Initially prohibited from leaving France, the Paris prosecutor’s office announced that the investigating judges handling Durov’s case have lifted travel restrictions, effective from March 15 to April 7, with a requirement for Durov to return to France by the latter date.

Durov stated, “I’ve returned to Dubai after spending several months in France due to an investigation related to the activity of criminals on Telegram. The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home.”

Dubrov, 40, was detained near Paris last August and restricted from leaving the country as part of the investigation. This was a rare move by French authorities, who accused him of aiding illicit activity by running an online platform. Following his release, he had to report to a police station twice a week.

Durov faces up to 10 years in prison. He was also accused of facilitating crimes such as distributing child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, fraud, and not cooperating with law enforcement.

Durov has criticized French authorities for the arrest, arguing that he cannot be held personally accountable for what users post on Telegram. However, the company has since implemented stricter measures to combat crime on its platform and has been more cooperative with international law enforcement.

“When it comes to moderation, cooperation, and fighting crime, for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations,” Durov said on Monday.

Telegram, founded by Durov in Russia in 2013, has over one billion users and has become popular among people living under authoritarian regimes due to its relaxed stance on content moderation. However, this has also allowed harmful content to spread.

The French case has ignited an international debate about freedom of speech on the internet and tech companies’ responsibility to monitor and address harmful content on their platforms. Governments, especially in the European Union, are increasingly scrutinizing tech companies to ensure they are addressing issues such as child safety, terrorism, disinformation, and the spread of other harmful content.

In France, Telegram has been implicated in several criminal cases involving child sexual abuse, drug trafficking, and virtual hate crimes. Last year, the top Paris prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, stated that Telegram showed a near-total failure to respond to requests for cooperation with law enforcement.

Durov is one among a few tech leaders accused of crimes committed by users on their platforms. This includes Ross W. Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road virtual black market, who was convicted of all charges, and Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, who pleaded guilty to U.S. money-laundering violations that occurred on his cryptocurrency platform.

President Trump pardoned Ulbricht in January.

Aurelien Breeden contributed reporting from Paris.