Russia Opens Case Against Telegram Founder Pavel Durov for Alleged Cooperation in Terrorist Activities

Russian authorities have opened a judicial case against Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, on charges of cooperating in terrorist activities under Article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, according to Rossiyskaya Gazeta citing documents from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

The newspaper reported that since 2022, more than 153,000 crimes have been registered involving Telegram, including 33 described as sabotage, terrorist or extremist in nature. It claimed that coordination for the deadly attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue occurred via the messaging app.

The attack took place on the evening of March 22, 2024, in the Moscow suburbs, killing 149 people and injuring more than 600. Khorasan Province, an affiliate of the Islamic State group primarily active in Afghanistan and designated a terrorist organization in Russia, claimed responsibility.

Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor has sent over 150,000 requests to Telegram to remove illegal content, which it says have been ignored. Previous reports suggested potential throttling or full blocking of Telegram in Russia. Durov has stated that such measures aim to push users toward a state-backed messenger, a claim Russian officials have not officially addressed.

Neither Russian officials nor Telegram have provided further details or official reactions to the recent report.