Russia’s watchdog may block Telegram messenger

Russia’s telecom and IT watchdog, Roskomnadzor, will block the Telegram messenger in Russia if it refuses to comply with the Russian law on organizers of dissemination of information, the head of Roskomnadzor, Alexander Zharov, said.

"There is one demand and it is simple: to fill in a form with information on the company that controls Telegram. And to officially send it to Roskomnadzor to include this data in the registry of organizers of dissemination of information," Zharov said in an open letter.

Roskomnadzor has not received any response from the messenger’s administration yet, Zharov stressed.

"In case of refusal to fulfill the obligations on dissemination of information by the organizer, Telegram shall be blocked in Russia. Until we receive the needed information," TASS cited him as saying.