Moscow's Military Court Sentenced A 6-year-old Meta Spokesman To Prison On Charges Of "Debeling Terrorism"

Andy Stone, spokesperson for Meta Platforms (photo: x @andymstone)

JAKARTA - On Monday, April 22, a military court in Moscow sentenced Andy Stone, a spokesman for Meta Platforms, to six years in prison on charges of "defense terrorism" publicly. This was reported by the RIA news agency. This verdict was given in a absentia.

Meta itself has been designated as an extremist organization in Russia and its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram have been banned in the country since 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Meta did not immediately respond to the punishment. Stone, director of Meta communications, also could not be reached immediately.

Interfax quoted the defendant's lawyer, Valentina Filippenkova, as saying that this verdict would be appealed. "I ask to be released," said Filippenkova.

Russia's Interior Ministry opened a criminal investigation into Stone late last year, without disclosing specific allegations.

RIA quoted state investigators as stating that Stone had published online comments defending "aggressive acts, enemies, and violence" against Russian soldiers involved in what Moscow called "special military operations" in Ukraine.