Roskomnadzor and the Ministry of Digital Development Named Defendants in Lawsuit Over Call Restrictions

In Russia, a class-action lawsuit has been filed against Roskomnadzor and the Ministry of Digital Development in connection with restrictions on voice calls in the Telegram and WhatsApp messengers. The plaintiffs are 42 citizens who are demanding that the actions of the state authorities be declared unlawful.

The lawsuit claims that the imposed restrictions violate the right to freely receive and transmit information, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. According to the plaintiffs, the measures have had a negative impact on personal and professional communication and were introduced without sufficient legal justification.

Particular attention in the filing is paid to the lack of transparent explanations for users and the absence of clear regulatory formalization of the restrictions. The plaintiffs believe that such a practice creates a dangerous precedent in the regulation of digital services.

At the time of filing the lawsuit, Roskomnadzor and the Ministry of Digital Development had not commented on the claims brought against them. The court will have to determine whether the actions of the agencies complied with current legislation and the Constitution.

Consideration of the case may be significant for the future regulation of messengers and the practice of state control over digital communications in Russia.