Following Russia’s recent charges against Telegram Founder Pavel Durov, he officially responded saying Russia has branded him a “terrorist” after he refused government demands for mass surveillance and censorship, escalating a long-running battle between the messaging platform and the Kremlin over encryption and online privacy.
In a post on his Telegram channel, Durov said Russian authorities targeted him because Telegram would not comply with requests that would weaken user privacy. “Russia has designated me as a ‘terrorist’ for refusing its demands for mass surveillance and censorship on Telegram.”
Durov further claimed that, under Russian law, he has now been barred from “publishing information on the Internet,” adding sarcastically that Russian officials had become “confused about who can ban whom from the Internet.”
Statement comes after terrorism charges
Durov’s remarks came days after Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) formally charged him with aiding terrorist activity under Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code and reportedly placed him on an international wanted list.
Russian authorities allege that Telegram was used to recruit individuals into sabotage operations through bots operating on the platform.
According to the FSB, the case involves the alleged use of a Telegram bot to contact young Russians and encourage illegal acts, including arson and attacks on law enforcement. The charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.
Durov has repeatedly denied the allegations, maintaining that the case is politically motivated and stems from Telegram’s refusal to compromise encryption or enable mass surveillance.
The legal escalation also weighed on the crypto market. As per CoinMarketCap data, GRAM, the cryptocurrency associated with the Durov-led Open Network, was trading at $1.39, down 1.78% over the past 24 hours and 4.54% over the past week.
The token’s market capitalization stood at approximately $3.83 billion, while 24-hour trading volume totaled $46.1 million, down 26.4%, according to CoinMarketCap.
Telegram under pressure
The latest dispute highlights the widening clash between Telegram and governments seeking greater control over encrypted communications.
Russia has long sought greater access to encrypted communications and tighter moderation of content on the platform. The latest action also comes as Moscow promotes MAX, a state-backed messaging app integrated with government services.
Separately, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has launched civil penalty proceedings against Telegram, alleging the platform repeatedly failed to remove terrorist and extremist content despite user reports. If Australia’s Federal Court finds Telegram breached the Online Safety Act, the company could face penalties of up to A$54.6 million.
Durov’s latest statement signals he has no intention of softening Telegram’s stance on encryption or government surveillance despite mounting legal pressure.
As Russia advances its criminal case and regulators in other countries continue scrutinizing Telegram, investors will also be watching whether the legal battle has any longer-term impact on confidence in the GRAM ecosystem or remains limited to Durov’s personal legal challenges.
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