>
…with DailyMail reports
Russia has banned messaging app, Telegram, because the company refused to reveal its encryption key.
A court in Moscow ruled to block the popular app after the firm declined to give state security services access to private conversations.
Telegram’s reputation for secure commnication has pitched it against Russia which is pushing to increase surveillance of internet activities.
The Roskomnadzor telecoms watchdog, which instituted the case, had earlier demanded the service be blocked as soon as the verdict was announced.
The app’s creator Pfavel Durov banned lawyers representing Telegram from attending the court hearing so as not to legitimise it.
But Pavel Chikov, who leads a group of human rights lawyers representing the app, said the case had proved the efficacy of the service.
Telegram’s self-exiled Russian founder Durov has long said he will reject any attempt by the country security’s services to gain backdoor access to the app.
The free application lets people exchange messages, photos and videos in groups of up to 5,000 people. Since its launch in 2013, it has attracted more than 200 million users among whom are political activists, journalists and even jihadists.