Durov Responds for the First Time to Being Labeled a Terrorist in Russia
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has publicly commented for the first time on the Russian authorities’ decision to include him on the list of “terrorists and extremists.” He stated that the reason was his refusal to comply with the Kremlin’s demands regarding mass surveillance of users and censorship within the messaging app.
Durov also commented ironically on the ban on internet use and recalled that Russian authorities had previously criticized France following his detention.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has commented for the first time on the Russian authorities’ decision to add him to the list of “terrorists and extremists.” According to him, this happened after he refused to comply with the Kremlin’s demands regarding mass surveillance of users and censorship within the messaging app. Durov published his statement on social media.
According to the entrepreneur, the Russian authorities effectively punished him for refusing to restrict the freedom of Telegram users. “Russia has labeled me a ‘terrorist’ for refusing to comply with its demands regarding mass surveillance and censorship on Telegram,” Durov wrote. He also pointed out that, following his inclusion on the relevant list, Russian law prohibits him from “disseminating information on the internet.”
The Telegram founder commented on this situation with irony. “According to Russian law, I am prohibited from ‘disseminating information on the internet.’ Russian officials seem to have gotten themselves confused about who can ban whom from using the internet,” he noted. Durov also recalled the Russian authorities’ reaction following his detention in France. At that time, Kremlin representatives and Russian propaganda outlets accused Paris of suppressing free speech and criticized the French authorities.
Now, according to the founder of Telegram, the situation looks different. He hinted that the issue with the French authorities had been resolved, while in Russia itself, new restrictions have begun to be imposed against him.
Pavel Durov has not yet indicated whether he plans to challenge the Russian authorities’ decision or take other legal steps in connection with his inclusion in the relevant registry. At the same time, his statement was the first public reaction to this decision and quickly attracted the attention of social media users. This was reported by Russian media.
Pavel Durov, the founder of the Telegram messaging app, has been added to Rosfinmonitoring’s list of terrorists and extremists. His name is marked with a special asterisk on the list, indicating that a criminal case has been opened against him under an article related to terrorism.
