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Telegram fined for refusing to delete channel with sabotage instructions

A fine of 7 mln rubles was set

MOSCOW, August 16. /TASS/. A Moscow court fined the cloud-based instant messaging service, Telegram, 7 mln rubles ($113,900) because it refused to delete a channel posting instructions on how to commit sabotage against railway transport facilities, TASS reported from the courtroom of the Justice of the Peace Section No. 422.

"The court ruled to hold Telegram liable under Part 4, Article 13.41 [of the Russian Administrative Offense Code - TASS] (failure of a website owner to remove information containing calls for extremist activity) and set a fine of 7 mln rubles," Judge Timur Vakhrameev announced.

According to the case materials, the reason for holding Telegram liable was the messaging service’s refusal to comply with the demand of the prosecutor’s office and delete Telegram channels posting instructions on how to sabotage rail transport facilities in Russia and Belarus. Claims against Telegram also arose because of the refusal to delete channels promoting illegal actions in Russia and propaganda pushing the ideology of anarchism.

Telegram was repeatedly penalized for its earlier rejection to remove prohibited content.

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