Pavel Durov Blocked From Oslo Forum, Delivers Keynote Remotely

Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov has been blocked from attending the Oslo Freedom Forum in Oslo, Norway, after French courts denied his request to travel to the Scandinavian country. The Human Rights Foundation (HRF), a non-profit organization advocating for universal human rights and individual liberty, announced that Durov will deliver his keynote address remotely via livestream.

HRF founder and CEO Thor Halvorssen expressed disappointment over the court's decision, stating, "It is unfortunate that French courts would block Mr. Durov from participating in an event where his voice is so needed." Durov, known for his advocacy for free speech and individual liberty, has been closely monitored by tech and crypto industry executives due to his ongoing legal battle in France.

Durov recently accused French intelligence officials of asking him to censor conservative-leaning political content related to the Romanian presidential elections on the Telegram platform. In a May 18 Telegram post, Durov wrote, "You can’t 'defend democracy' by destroying democracy. You can’t 'fight election interference' by interfering with elections." He later revealed that Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, had made the request during a meeting at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon.

Durov has consistently maintained that Telegram will not censor political content on its platform and would rather exit markets than restrict free speech. He views complying with such political censorship as a violation of human rights. Despite the court's decision, Durov's virtual participation in the Oslo Freedom Forum is expected to contribute significantly to discussions on digital privacy and free speech, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by advocates for human rights and digital freedoms.