In response to the recent decision by Russian authorities to impose significant slowdowns on the Telegram messenger service, Marie Struthers, the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director for Amnesty International, expressed her concerns regarding the implications of such actions.
“Blocking or slowing down Telegram has little to do with protecting people from crime or fraud online and much more to do with further restricting their ability to communicate freely and safely,”
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director
Struthers highlighted that these restrictions seem to be part of a larger trend toward tightening state control over online communications within Russia. This trend has already resulted in the blocking or disruption of various messaging services, compelling millions of users to turn to circumvention tools for secure communication or to utilize less secure, state-sponsored alternatives.
“If the authorities are genuinely concerned about online threats, they must address them through lawful, transparent, and proportionate measures that comply with international human rights obligations,” Struthers continued. “Any restrictions on freedom of expression should be strictly necessary, exercised by the least intrusive means, and subject to independent oversight. The Russian government should immediately reverse the restrictions on Telegram and other messaging and social media platforms, ensuring that people in Russia can communicate freely, securely, and without fear.”
Background
On February 10, Russian authorities initiated restrictions on access to Telegram, one of the country’s most widely used messaging applications. Roskomnadzor, the communications watchdog, announced its intention to “continue to impose consistent restrictions” on Telegram to ensure compliance with Russian law and the protection of citizens, although details were not provided. Users across Russia reported widespread disruptions to the functionality of Telegram for several days following this announcement.
In August 2025, Roskomnadzor limited voice and video calls on both Telegram and WhatsApp, citing their use in fraudulent and criminal activities. By October, “partial restrictions” were applied to these platforms, following a slowdown of media messages on WhatsApp in December. Other messaging services have also faced similar fates, with Signal being blocked in August 2024 and Viber in December 2024. Notably, Telegram was temporarily blocked in 2018 due to a court order over allegations that its parent company refused to provide encryption keys to security services.
Recently, Russian authorities have been promoting the domestically developed MAX messenger, a move that has raised concerns among human rights groups and IT experts regarding its security and privacy features.
