Russia issues international wanted notice against Telegram founder Pavel Durov for aiding terrorism

Russia announced on Wednesday that it issued an international wanted notice for Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov over accusations of "complicity in terrorism". Russian-born Durov – a serial tech founder who has lived outside Russia for years and holds French and Emirati passports – has frequently clashed with the Russian authorities as Moscow has tightened its grip on the internet space. "An international wanted notice has been issued ... for the head of the Telegram administration, P. Durov," Russian security services (FSB) said in a statement. Durov's Telegram messenger is one of the country's main communications platforms, and officials have repeatedly tried to block access or thwart its success in a bid to pressure the CEO to hand over user data or push Russians to use an unencrypted state-backed alternative. Watch moreTelegram boss Durov speaks out before French hearing, hopes to get charges lifted The FSB accused Telegram’s administration in a statement of failing to remove “numerous channels, chats and bots” that are “actively used by Ukrainian intelligence agencies, terrorist, and extremist organisations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism, mass mur...