Russia Issues Arrest Warrant Against Telegram Founder Pavel Durov For Aiding Terrorism

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has been accused by Russia of aiding terrorism due to claims that Ukrainian secret services had recruited people via the message software. Telegram was utilized “to prepare and co-ordinate acts of sabotage and terror” inside Russia, according to the FSB, Russia’s domestic security agency, which also claimed that Ukraine’s channels, chats, and bots had not been eliminated.

The Russian-born Durov, who resides overseas, has an international arrest warrant. Telegram’s X account shared a picture of Durov giving the finger shortly after the allegation was made public. In the past, he has charged that Russian officials are “fabricating new pretexts to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram.”

Tens of millions of users use Telegram in Russia, but as part of a larger crackdown on internet freedom, officials have been limiting access. In Ukraine, the app is equally popular.

The 41-year-old multibillionaire Durov has French and United Arab Emirates (UAE) passports and has lived outside of Russia for many years.

It’s uncertain if officials in other nations would abide by a Russian arrest warrant.

When the authorities demanded that Durov shut down opposition communities on the site, he refused and left Russia in 2014. He had previously started VKontakte, a well-known social media platform in Russia known as the “Facebook of Russia”.

With almost 950 million users globally, Telegram has historically positioned itself as an app that prioritizes user privacy beyond the standard practices of other international social media firms.

Although the platform has denied having inadequate procedures, it has previously been criticized for its app moderation.

In 2024, Durov was detained and put under official investigation in France because to accusations that he had not adequately moderated the app to lessen criminal activity. Months later, while the investigation was still ongoing, he was permitted to return home.

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