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Ranked as the world's ninth most popular mobile messaging app,
Telegram is widely used in countries across the former Soviet
Union and Middle East. Active users of the app reached 200
million in March.
As part of its services, Telegram allows users to communicate
via encrypted messages which cannot be read by third parties,
including government authorities.
But Russia's FSB Federal Security service has said it needs
access to some messages for its work, including guarding against
terrorist attacks. Telegram has refused to comply with its
demands, citing respect for user privacy.
Russia's Roskomnadzor communications watchdog said it had filed
a lawsuit at a Moscow court on Friday "with a request to
restrict access on the territory of Russia to the information
resources of ... Telegram Messenger Limited Liability
Partnership."
It said the suit was connected to statements by the FSB that
Telegram was not complying with its legal obligations as an
"organizer of information distribution."
A spokesman for Telegram did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov said on Twitter in March:
"Threats to block Telegram unless it gives up private data of
its users will not bear fruit. Telegram will stand for freedom
and privacy."
The Russian court decision will be closely watched by investors
as Telegram is also undertaking the world's biggest initial coin
offering - a private sale of tokens which could be traded as an
alternative currency, similar to Bitcoin or Ethereum.
The company has so far raised $1.7 billion in pre-sales via the
offering, according to media reports.
(Reporting by Jack Stubbs; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
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