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Pavel Durov responds after Russia designates him a terrorist
Russia’s Federal Security Service said Telegram did not remove channels tied to terrorist groups and Ukrainian intelligence services, extending the Telegram founder’s legal fights in multiple countries.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov said Russian authorities designated him a terrorist after he refused government demands for mass surveillance and censorship on the Telegram messaging platform, responding publicly one day after Russia announced charges against him.
Cointelegraph reports that Russia’s Federal Security Service accused Durov of facilitating terrorist activity, alleging Telegram failed to remove channels used by terrorist groups and Ukrainian intelligence services. The case follows a criminal investigation Russia launched in February, when regulators accused Telegram of leaving nearly 155,000 channels, chats, and bots online despite claims that the content violated Russian laws on extremist material, terrorism, drug trafficking, and other illicit activity.
The Russian case adds to Durov’s broader legal challenges. He was arrested in France in August 2024 and remains under judicial investigation over allegations that Telegram facilitated criminal activity by failing to adequately moderate illegal content and respond to law enforcement requests.
Cointelegraph also notes that Telegram faces additional legal pressure in Australia, where regulators this week launched court proceedings alleging the platform failed to remove terrorism-related content. Durov has denied wrongdoing and has described himself as a defender of free speech and digital privacy.