Courts to decide on further actions on Telegram - Nikiforov
KAZAN. April 6 (Interfax) - The courts will decide on further actions regarding the messenger Telegram, Russian Communications and Mass Media Minister Nikolai Nikiforov told reporters.
"Such issues can be resolved in court, which means that the court order will be the basis of the further course of action," Nikiforov said.
As for what would happen to users, Nikiforov said they "will use some other messengers." He said he was a Telegram user himself.
On Friday, the Russian telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor asked a court to block Telegram.
"In accordance with Article 15.4 of the Federal Law on Information, Information Technologies, and the Protection of Information, Roskomnadzor lodged a lawsuit with the Tagansky District Court of Moscow on Friday, April 6, demanding that access to the information resources of Telegram Messenger Limited Liability Partnership, an organizer of the dissemination of information on the Internet, be restricted in the territory of Russia," it said.
On March 20, Roskomnadzor notified the messenger that the FSB's demand for decoding keys had not been fulfilled and gave Telegram 15 days to comply. The deadline expired on April 4.