Tengrinews.kz - The Ministry of Culture and Information responded to a question about whether Telegram had been requested to provide data on Kazakhstanis using the messenger.
At the end of September, Telegram's founder Pavel Durov announced that the company would share IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate the platform's rules with authorities. Later, Durov added that Telegram had been sharing personal data since 2018.
In response to an official inquiry from Tengrinews.kz, the Ministry of Culture and Information stated that they had not requested personal data of Kazakhstani users from Telegram's administration.
"However, according to the communications law, it is established that the state authorities of Kazakhstan take measures to identify and hold accountable individuals who spread information specified in Article 41-1 of the law on communications," the ministry stated.
The law's provisions address the suspension of communication networks in cases of calls for extremism, terrorism, and mass unrest. The ministry regularly monitors social networks and websites to detect violations related to the dissemination of personal data and information about minors.
"Since the beginning of the year, monitoring of the internet on the Telegram platform has identified a total of 6,105 violations of Kazakhstani law: unlawful distribution of citizens' personal data, dissemination of information inciting ethnic hatred, distribution of pornography, online casino activities, and the promotion of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogs, and precursors," the Ministry of Culture and Information stated.
In response to all identified violations, 315 notification documents were sent to Telegram to take measures to remove the illegal content.
Recall: the investigation into Telegram was initiated after Pavel Durov was detained by French intelligence services in August.
On August 28, he was released on bail of 5 million euros in Paris. Durov was prohibited from leaving France and required to report to the police twice a week.
It was later revealed that he agreed to cooperate with law enforcement and began providing information that could be used to identify Telegram users. Additionally, it was disclosed that Pavel Durov's brother is being compelled to come to France to give testimony.
