Russia investigating Telegram founder Durov as part of criminal case, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports

MOSCOW, Feb 24 – Russia is investigating Telegram founder Pavel Durov as part of a criminal case on the “facilitation of terrorist activities”, state-run newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported, citing the Federal Security Service (FSB). 

Durov could not be immediately reached for comment on the report, but in recent days Telegram has denied a host of allegations by Russia that the app is a haven for criminal activity and compromised by both Western and Ukrainian intelligence. 

“The actions of the head of Telegram, P. Durov, are being investigated as part of a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 (assistance to terrorist activities) of the Criminal Code of Russia,” Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported in an article it said was “based on materials from the FSB of Russia”. 

Telegram, which says it has more than 1 billion active users globally, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. 

Russia’s state communications regulator has introduced restrictions on Telegram, which is hugely popular in Russia for public and private communications, over what it says is a failure by the company to delete extremist content.

Moscow is trying to get Russians to switch to the state-backed app known as MAX, which launched almost a year ago.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Mayberry)