Last week in Russia was marked by the blocking of Google and a demand for [founder of Telegram messenger] Durov to open up Telegram’s encryption. The latter represents a particularly outrageous desire of the authorities to control the private lives of citizens. As usual they are citing the threat of terrorism, even quoting fake terrorists who supposedly used the Telegram app.

Meanwhile, they forget to mention that both historically and in terms of current realities in Russia, the loss of life due to terrorist attacks is incomparable with the loss of life at the hands of a state which controls its citizens, rather than being controlled by the citizens themselves.

Each year in Russia, on average less than 1000 people are killed at the hands of terrorists, even if we believe the government figures. This is with an “uncontrolled Telegram”. The total number of deaths from “external causes” amounts to around 150-200 thousand each year! In Great Britain, for example, the number is 4 times lower. Poor management is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths, and I haven’t even mentioned our “wonderful” medicine.

In their ultimate forms, dictatorial regimes kill millions of their citizens. Freedom always requires a sacrifice, but it saves us from having to make further sacrifices. It is possible to fight terrorism without violating the right to private correspondence, as guaranteed by the Russian Constitution. It would be enough to spend more resources on this and less on protecting the regime from dissenting citizens.