Brazilian Court Orders Telegram to Provide Information on Anti-Semitic Groups

The information requested is “technically impossible to obtain for the company”, estimated in a press release published on the platform its boss and Russian founder Pavel Durov. “We are appealing the decision and awaiting the final resolution” of this case, he added. Brazilian justice has also imposed on the popular online messaging service, whose head office is in Dubai, a fine of one million reais per day (180,000 euros) as long as the requested data has not been provided to the police. . “No matter what, we will defend our users in Brazil and their right to private communication,” Durov said. On Thursday, the app was running unstable, according to Brazilian users who shared tips for getting around the block, AFP found. In its judgment published on Wednesday, the Federal Court of the State of Espirito Santo (south-east) recalls that the federal police asked Telegram to provide it with the personal data of all the members of messaging groups entitled “Anti-Semitic Movement Brazilian” and “Anti-Semitic Front”, but that this request had only been “partially” satisfied. Authorities link these groups to attacks in recent months on schools across the country. According to the G1 news site, investigators have discovered that a 16-year-old teenager who in November 2022 shot and killed four people (three teachers and a 12-year-old student) at a school in Aracruz, State of Espirito Santo, was in contact with anti-Semitic groups on the platform. (Belga)