Russia issues arrest warrant for Telegram founder Pavel Durov over terrorism charges

Russia’s Federal Security Service has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities, accusing his messaging platform of failing to take down content used to organize acts of sabotage, terrorism, mass killings, and cyber-fraud within the country.

The security agency announced on Wednesday that it has issued an international arrest warrant for the tech entrepreneur. Neither Durov nor representatives for Telegram immediately issued an official response regarding the charges. According to Russian authorities, Ukrainian special services as well as various extremist and terrorist organizations utilized the platform to prepare and coordinate covert operations inside Russia.

The formal charges represent a significant escalation in Moscow’s ongoing attempts to restrict and regulate Telegram's reach while promoting MAX, a state-backed messaging application, as a controlled domestic replacement. Since its launch by Durov in 2013, the encrypted platform has expanded to over one billion users worldwide and has become a primary tool for information dissemination during the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Durov, who holds Emirati and French citizenship, originally created the Russian social network VKontakte before selling his stake and departing the company in 2014 following persistent government pressure.

This legal move by Russian authorities compounds the existing international regulatory and legal challenges confronting Durov. French law enforcement agencies are currently conducting an independent investigation into whether Telegram failed to properly moderate illegal activities on its platform or adequately assist police in criminal inquiries. Durov has previously denied all allegations of wrongdoing in relation to the proceedings in France.

(Inputs from IANS)