Russia charges Pavel Durov, Telegram co-founder, with aiding terrorism and issues wanted notice

Moscow: Telegram founder Pavel Durov on Thursday slammed Russia's recent decision to label him a "terrorist" after he refused to comply with state demands for mass censorship and surveillance on his platform.In a recent statement shared on X, Durov pointed out that he has been banned from "publishing information on the internet" under Russian law.Mocking the measures, he remarked, "Russia has designated me as a 'terrorist' for refusing its demands for mass surveillance and censorship on Telegram. Under Russian law, I'm banned from 'publishing information on the Internet'. Russian officials are clearly confused about who can ban whom from the Internet."Also read: Australia begins legal action against Telegram over alleged pro-terror material after Russia's charges on DurovThis comes after Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) charged Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities and launched procedures to place him on the international wanted list, according to Russian state-run news agency TASS.The FSB said Durov, who heads Telegram's administration, has been charged under Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, which pertains to assistance to terrorist activity."Telegram administration head Pavel Durov has been charged... (with facilitating terrorist activities) as part of a criminal case under investigation, and an international warrant for his arrest has been issued," the FSB said, according to TASS.According to TASS, lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov said Durov could also face arrest in absentia, highlighting it as a standard legal procedure required for extradition."This is a standard procedure required to extradite a person to Russia. A Russian court issues an arrest warrant in absentia, after which Russian law enforcement agencies begin seeking his extradition, including through Interpol. Durov will likely face the same," Zherebenkov told TASS.Citing a legal representative, Sputnik reported that the criminal charges against Telegram's CEO Durov could carry a life sentence.Sputnik, attributing information to the FSB, reported that Russian authorities accused Telegram of failing to remove channels, chats and bots allegedly used by Ukrainian intelligence services to coordinate terrorist attacks and mass-casualty operations inside Russia.It further claimed that such activities had resulted in numerous fatalities, including women and children, and caused billions of dollars in material damage.Sputnik also reported the FSB's allegation that Ukrainian operatives used Telegram's dating service to pose as young women, befriend Russian men and recruit them into carrying out terrorist activities.The agency further claimed that since July 2025, Russian authorities had detained 46 young users of the dating service across 16 regions who were allegedly acting on instructions from Ukrainian intelligence to attack police officers and carry out arson attacks.Earlier, the 41-year-old billionaire had been charged with crimes on Telegram, including the spread of child sexual abuse material, fraud and drug sales, according to French prosecutors.At that time, Durov noted that operating a global communications platform is a tricky balance between privacy and security, adding that in Russia and Iran, the messaging company has been willing to be banned rather than cede to government demands.

The Telegram founder said Russia designated him a terrorist after he refused government demands for mass surveillance and censorship on the messaging platform.

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP)—Russia on Thursday added Telegram founder Pavel Durov to a blacklist of "terrorists and extremists", a day after saying it was seeking his arrest over accusations he let his platform be used by Ukrainian intelligence. The serial tech founder, who has lived outside Russia for years and holds French and United Arab Emirates passports, has frequently clashed with the Russian authorities as Moscow has tightened its grip on the internet. His Telegram messenger is one of the country's main communications platforms. Officials have repeatedly tried to block access or thwart its success in a bid to pressure Durov to hand over user data, or push Russians to use an unencrypted state-backed alternative. The FSB security service said this week it had launched international search proceedings for Durov, 41 -- though it was unclear whether other countries or law enforcement bodies would comply. On Thursday, his name appeared on Russia's online register of "terrorists and extremists" -- a blacklist maintained by Russia's Rosfinmonitoring financial watchdog. Those on the list are essentially banned from conducting transactions inside Russia. Moscow frequently targets political enemies with charges of supporting "terrorism" or "extremism", including those who have left the country. The FSB said Telegram had failed to remove a popular dating bot that, according to Moscow, is being used by Ukrainian special services to draw young Russians "into terrorist and sabotage activities." Lawyers for Durov, 41, declined to comment when contacted by AFP on Wednesday about the FSB's allegations. "Pavel Durov does not wish to comment at this stage," Telegram said. The Telegram CEO -- who has lived in both Dubai and France -- has also had legal issues in France. In 2024, he was arrested by French police on charges related to the distribution of illegal content, but was later released on bail. He later left the country after authorities there lifted a travel ban. Born in Saint Petersburg -- President Vladimir Putin's home city -- Durov founded VKontakte, a social media site widely known as "Russia's Facebook". He then launched Telegram after being forced out of VKontakte over clashes with Russia's authorities who sought tighter control. Moscow for years tried and failed to block Telegram, and has recently been pushing users to switch to an unencrypted state-backed messenger, named Max, that Durov has slammed as a "built for surveillance and political censorship".

Those on the list are essentially banned from conducting transactions inside Russia.

Russian financial watchdog Rosfinmonitoring has added Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov to the country's official list of terrorists and extremists. The agency published the information on its official website, identifying him as "Pavel Valeryevich Durov, born on October 10, 1984, in Leningrad." Russian authorities have charged Durov with facilitating terrorist activities and placed him on an international wanted list. Investigators allege that Telegram failed to remove numerous channels, group chats, and bots allegedly used by Ukrainian intelligence services, resulting in casualties and billions of rubles in damages. FSB Explains Terrorism Charges Against Pavel Durov On July 29, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that Durov had been placed on an international wanted list in connection with a criminal case involving alleged assistance to terrorist activities under Article 205.1, Part 1.1 of the Russian Criminal Code.

The designation comes a day after the FSB issued a warrant for the tech entrepreneur’s arrest on charges of facilitating terrorist activities.