A criminal case has been opened against Pavel Durov in Russia

A criminal case has been opened against Pavel Durov in Russia

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has announced that a criminal case has been opened against him in Russia under the article “aiding terrorism”.
The case was opened under Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, which provides for a penalty of up to 15 years in prison. Officials have not commented on the matter.

Durov wrote that the authorities are coming up with new excuses every day to restrict Russians’ access to the messenger, and that these events are “a sad picture of a state that is afraid of its own people”. The statement was published after articles criticizing Telegram in the Rossiyskaya Gazeta and Komsomolskaya Pravda publications, which linked the platform to crimes and radical activities.

In recent months, technical restrictions on Telegram have intensified in Russia. The State Duma is reportedly discussing the possibility of recognizing Telegram as an extremist organization. The official decision has not yet been announced.