Russia opens criminal case against Telegram founder Pavel Durov for ‘aiding terrorism’ amid ongoing platform crackdown.

MOSCOW: Telegram founder Pavel Durov has accused Russian authorities of opening a criminal case against him for “aiding terrorism”.

Durov, who holds Russian and French citizenship, made the claim on his platform, stating it was a new pretext to restrict access.

“Russia has opened a criminal case against me for ‘aiding terrorism’,” Durov wrote.

He added that authorities fabricate daily pretexts to suppress privacy and free speech.

The Kremlin has long sought to block Telegram, demanding Durov grant the FSB security service backdoor access to encrypted user data.

State media recently published articles citing FSB materials linking Durov’s non-cooperation to alleged terrorist attacks coordinated on Telegram.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cited a large number of violations and Telegram’s unwillingness to cooperate with authorities.

He did not confirm whether a specific probe into Durov had been launched.

Russia restricts access to both Telegram and WhatsApp, promoting a state-backed alternative called Max.

Critics say Max lacks the privacy features of its rivals.

The Kremlin frequently uses terrorism or extremism allegations to suppress dissent, a practice intensified since the Ukraine offensive.

Despite the crackdown, Telegram remains widely used as Russia’s primary social media platform.

The Kremlin itself maintains an official account on the service, posting several times daily.

 The Sun Malaysia