Ammon News - Vietnam's technology ministry has ordered telecommunication service providers to block the messaging app Telegram for not cooperating in combating alleged crimes committed by its users, in a move that Telegram said was surprising.

In a document, dated May 21 and signed by the deputy head of the telecom department at the technology ministry, telecommunication companies were ordered to take measures to block Telegram and report on them to the ministry by June 2.

The ministry was acting on behalf of the country's cybersecurity department after police reported that 68% of the 9,600 Telegram channels and groups in Vietnam violated the law, citing fraud, drug trafficking and "cases suspected of being related to terrorism" among the illegal activities carried out through the app, the document seen by Reuters said.

The ministry asked telecommunication service providers "to deploy solutions and measures to prevent Telegram's activities in Vietnam," the document said.

"Telegram is surprised by those statements," a company representative told Reuters on Friday. Reuters