Alexander Zharov, head of communications regulator
Roskomnadzor, said repeated efforts to obtain the information had been ignored
and warned that "time is running out" for the app.
If Telegram hands over the details and joins Roskomnadzor's
registry it would be required to keep and share users' chat histories and
encryption keys with authorities if asked, according to Russian news agency
TASS.
In an open letter, Mr Zharov said: "There is one demand
and it is simple: to fill in a form with information on the company that
controls Telegram.
"And to officially send it to Roskomnadzor to include
this data in the registry of organisers of dissemination of information."
He added: "In case of refusal…Telegram shall be blocked
in Russia until we receive the needed information."
The demand is the latest standoff between the Kremlin and
Nikolai and Pavel Durov, the Russian brothers who founded the end-to-end
encryption app.
In 2014, the Durovs refused to comply with requests from the
Russian government to turn over data on Ukranian users of Vkontakte - a social
network they set up together.
Telegram says it splits its encryption keys into separate
data centres across the globe to ensure "no single government or block of
like-minded countries can intrude on people's privacy and freedom of
expression".
It claims it can only be forced to hand over data if
"an issue is grave and universal enough to pass the scrutiny of several
different legal systems around the world".
Following the Westminster attack, Home Secretary Amber Rudd
said police and intelligence agencies need access to encrypted services like
Telegram and Apple's iMessage, as well as messages sent on WhatsApp.
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