Russia has officially designated Telegram founder Pavel Durov as a “terrorist.” The designation comes after Durov rejected Russian government demands to install mass surveillance systems and enforce strict censorship across the Telegram platform. Facing an internet publishing ban from his home country, Durov struck back via his Telegram channel, mocking Russian authorities for being confused about who actually has the right to ban whom from the internet.
The terrorist designation stems from a criminal investigation launched by Russia in February. In their investigation, Russian regulators accused Telegram of leaving nearly 155,000 channels, chats, and bots online without blocking them. Russian authorities claimed these chat rooms blatantly violated national laws regarding extremism, terrorism, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) levied more specific allegations, accusing Durov of facilitating terrorist activities after Telegram failed to remove channels operated by terrorist groups and Ukrainian intelligence.
Under Legal Siege Across Three Continents
The pressure on Durov has been mounting relentlessly beyond Russia. He must now divide his attention to address legal challenges in France and Australia. French police arrested Durov in August 2024, and he remains under judicial investigation over allegations that Telegram facilitated criminal activity. On the other side of the globe, Australian regulators launched court proceedings this week targeting terrorism-related content on the messaging app.
Despite facing a lengthy legal process in Europe, France has gradually eased its restrictions. The French government lifted Durov’s travel restrictions in late 2025, following permission granted to him to return to Dubai in March 2025. Outside the courtroom, public support has surged, with a campaign by the TON community collecting over 9 million signatures on an open letter urging French authorities to drop legal proceedings against Durov.
Refusing to Become a Surveillance Tool
Refusing state access to data aligns with Durov’s steadfast stance on privacy in the digital age. Last April, he warned the public that the European Union’s proposed age-verification app could pave the way for far broader internet surveillance. Amid escalating pressure from law enforcement across three nations pushing the platform to implement backdoors, Telegram continues to pursue its business roadmap, including the previously announced development of its native crypto wallet, Gram.
The multi-front scrutiny from Russia, France, and Australia underscores a stark reality for privacy-focused app developers. Standing between user communication freedom and state intelligence demands means a founder must be prepared to face terrorist labels on one side and prison threats on the other. Reported via Cointelegraph.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
