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Moscow Court Rejects Journalists' Case Against FSB over Telegram Encryption

Alexander Plyuschev (Anatoly Strunin / ITAR-TASS)

A Moscow court has rejected a lawsuit filed by Ekho Moskvy journalist Alexander Plyushchev against the Federal Security Service (FSB) over the popular encrypted messaging app Telegram.

Plyushchev and another prominent journalist, Oleg Kashin, filed the suit against the FSB over its demand that the popular Telegram messaging app turn over encryption keys to the government. 

“We believe that this affects our right to confidential communication with sources,” the two wrote on their personal channels when they filed the suit.

The court said that the FSB’s request "did not violate or concern the law, liberty or interests of the plaintiff."

Plushchev said on his Telegram channel that Agora, the law firm that defended the journalists had hoped for a review but were now moving to "plan B" to appeal the decision.

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