The Federal Office accuses Telegram of violating the obligation to provide legally compliant reporting channels in 2020 and 2021. In addition, Telegram has not named an authorized recipient with a serviceable address in Germany so that German courts and authorities can serve documents with legally binding effect domestically to the providers.
The authority punished the violation of the obligation to keep the reporting channels available with a fine of 4.25 million euros. A fine of 875,000 euros was due for not naming the person authorized to accept service.
The Federal Office further explained that since April 2021 there have been several attempts to deliver hearing letters to Telegram’s headquarters in Dubai. “Despite support from the responsible authorities in the United Arab Emirates in the form of international legal assistance, this has not succeeded.” In March 2022, the office therefore made the public delivery of both hearing letters in the Federal Gazette.