Russia's FSB charges Telegram founder Durov with facilitating terrorism
FSB Accusations and International Warrant
MOSCOW, July 29 (Reuters) - Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday that it had charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities, and that it had issued an international warrant for his arrest.
Details of the Charges
The FSB said that the charges related to Telegram's failure to remove material "used by Ukrainian special services and by terrorist and extremist organisations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism, mass killings, and cyber-fraud operations within the Russian Federation."
Response from Durov and Telegram
There was no immediate comment from Durov or Telegram.
Background on Telegram
Telegram, an encrypted messenger app founded in 2013, says it has more than 1 billion users, and is widely used on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Russian Efforts to Restrict Telegram
Russia has repeatedly tried to restrict Telegram's use in recent years, promoting its own state-backed MAX messenger service.
Pavel Durov's Background
Durov, who was born in Russia but now holds Emirati and French passports, founded Russia's Facebook equivalent, VKontakte, before selling his remaining stake in 2014 amid pressure from Russian authorities.
International Investigations
French authorities are investigating Durov over allegations that Telegram failed to adequately counter criminal activity on the platform and did not sufficiently cooperate with law enforcement requests. Durov denies wrongdoing.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Kate Mayberry and Louise Heavens)