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Russian court sentences Meta spokesman Stone to six years in prison in absentia

According to the investigation, Andy Stone, while being outside of Russia, on March 11, 2022, posted a comment on the Internet advocating aggressive, hostile and violent actions against Russian servicemen participating in the special military operation

MOSCOW, April 22. /TASS/. A Russian district military court ruled on Monday to sentence US citizen Andy Stone, the spokesman for Meta (designated as an extremist organization in Russia), to six years in a colony settlement in absentia for inciting terrorism, a TASS reporter said from the courtroom.

Also, the court banned Stone from managing Internet resources for four years. Valentina Filippenkova, Stone’s lawyer, told TASS after the verdict had been pronounced that she would appeal the conviction.

In debate at the Second Western District Military Court, a prosecutor asked for Stone to be jailed for seven years.

According to the investigation, Stone, while being outside of Russia, on March 11, 2022, posted on the Internet, including on his Twitter (currently X — TASS) page, a comment advocating aggressive, hostile and violent actions against Russian servicemen participating in the special military operation. It also contained public calls to commit deadly terrorist attacks against the servicemen.

Stone was accused of committing a crime under Russian Criminal Code Article 205.2, Part 2 (Public incitement to commit terrorist acts, public justification of terrorism or propaganda of terrorism). It carries punishment ranging from a fine to 5-7 years in prison.