A Russian military court in Moscow sentenced Meta Platforms spokesperson Andy Stone to six years in prison for “publicly defending terrorism.” This verdict was given in absentia, and Stone was also banned from managing internet resources for four years. The charges stem from social media posts in March 2022, where Stone allegedly advocated violence against Russian servicemen involved in the invasion of Ukraine.
Meta, designated an extremist organization in Russia, had its platforms Facebook and Instagram banned in the country since 2022. Stone’s lawyer, Valentina Filippenkova, announced plans to appeal the sentence, seeking acquittal. Prosecutors had originally requested a seven-year sentence under Russian Criminal Code Article 205.2, Part 2, which covers public incitement and justification of terrorism.
In February, an arrest warrant for Stone was issued in absentia, accusing him of inciting terrorism through his social media comments. The Russian investigation claimed that Stone’s posts on March 11, 2022, included calls for aggressive and violent actions against Russian troops. Stone was also added to Russia’s official “terrorist and extremist” watchdog list earlier this year.
The criminal investigation into Stone began shortly after the February 24th invasion of Ukraine, following Meta’s ban on Russian media outlets on its platforms. In response, Russia banned Facebook and Instagram nationwide and labeled Meta and its employees as extremists. Stone has defended his comments as political self-expression, and Meta has not yet commented on the verdict.
