Legislative in Russia: Telegram in turn removes an application from supporters of Navalny
A legalist above all, Russian founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, says he simply complies with the law which prohibits campaigning during the vote.
Chris Ratcliffe / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
Snowballing effect on Russian internet censorship: a little over twelve hours after Apple and Google removed the Navalny movement app from their online stores, last night it was the particularly popular Telegram Messenger in Russia, which followed them.
It no longer publishes on its couriers the recommendations of the movement of the imprisoned opponent to inform voters about the candidates of the opposition to President Vladimir Poutine.
Advertising
Read more
With our correspondent in Moscow,
Anissa El Jabri
A legalist above all, the Russian founder of Telegram justified himself in two stages last night.
Pavel Durov who first judges that he no longer had a choice after the decision of Apple and Google.
These two companies "
dictate the rules of the game to developers like us,
" said Pavel Durov, who then judges above all simply to comply with the law which prohibits campaigning during the vote.
"
Respect
"
"
We consider this practice as legitimate and urge Telegram users to respect it
", these last words of Pavel Durov do not pass in the Russian opposition.
Claiming - both - Steve Jobs and Che Guevara, the founder of Telegram had so far always stood up to the government.
He has been living outside the country since 2014.
On the second polling day, there is only one possibility left to access the voting instructions for Camp Navalny: a link to a Google Docs.
Link not easy to find and already blocked this week for several hours.
The elections, legislative but also local and regional, began Friday, September 17 and last until Sunday evening.
►
To read also: Censorship and old strings for Russian legislative under pressure
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Russia
Vladimir Poutine
Alexei Navalny
Internet
Social networks