Key facts
- Telegram founder Pavel Durov was designated a "terrorist" by Russian authorities.
- Durov stated the designation followed his refusal to comply with Russian government demands for mass surveillance and censorship on Telegram.
- Russia's Federal Security Service accused Durov of facilitating terrorist activity.
- A criminal investigation was launched in February over Telegram's alleged failure to remove channels violating Russian laws.
- Durov faces legal challenges abroad, including an ongoing investigation in France following his arrest in August 2024.
- Australian regulators have also initiated court proceedings against Telegram for failing to remove terrorism-related content.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov stated that Russian authorities have designated him a "terrorist" after he refused government demands for mass surveillance and censorship on the messaging platform. Durov publicly responded to the designation a day after Russia announced charges against him.
In a Telegram post on Thursday, Durov also indicated that Russian authorities had barred him from "publishing information on the Internet," asserting that they "got confused about who can ban whom from the Internet."
The comments follow an announcement by Russia’s Federal Security Service accusing Durov of facilitating terrorist activity. The service alleged that Telegram failed to remove channels used by terrorist groups and Ukrainian intelligence services. This case builds upon a criminal investigation initiated in February, when Russian regulators accused Telegram of leaving approximately 155,000 channels, chats, and bots online despite claims they violated Russian laws concerning extremist content, terrorism, drug trafficking, and other illicit activities.
Durov's legal challenges extend beyond Russia. He was arrested in France in August 2024 and remains under judicial investigation for allegations that Telegram facilitated criminal activity by inadequately moderating illegal content and failing to respond to law enforcement requests. Durov has denied wrongdoing, arguing that French authorities did not follow due process. His arrest prompted a campaign by the TON Community, which gathered over 9 million signatures on an open letter urging French authorities to release him. French authorities initially permitted Durov to return to Dubai temporarily in March 2025 before lifting his travel restrictions entirely later that year.
Telegram is also facing legal pressure in Australia, where regulators have initiated court proceedings alleging the platform failed to remove terrorism-related content. Durov has positioned himself as a defender of free speech and digital privacy, previously warning the European Union’s proposed age-verification app could lead to broader online surveillance. He also blamed alleged tax data leaks for a series of crypto-related kidnappings in France, stating Telegram would leave the country rather than grant authorities access to user messages.