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Russia’s military appeals court upholds 6-year prison sentence for Meta spokesman Stone

"The court upheld the verdict of the first instance as legal and justified and also turned down the appeal," the Russian Military Court of Appeals announced in its verdict

MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. The Russian Military Court of Appeals upheld on Monday the six-year prison sentence in absentia previously handed down by a lower court in regard to US citizen Andy Stone, the spokesman for the Meta corporation (designated as an extremist organization in Russia), a TASS correspondent reported from the court.

On April 22, the Second Western District Military Court found Stone guilty on charges of publicly inciting terrorism and sentenced him in absentia to six years in prison. Stone’s defense later appealed the verdict.

"The court upheld the verdict of the first instance as legal and justified and also turned down the appeal," the Russian Military Court of Appeals announced in its verdict.

During the first instance court hearings a prosecutor asked the judge for a seven-year prison sentence.

According to the investigation, Stone, while being outside of Russia, on March 11, 2022, posted on the Internet, including on his Twitter (currently X) page, a comment advocating aggressive, hostile and violent actions against Russian troops participating in the special military operation in Ukraine. It also contained public calls to commit deadly terrorist attacks against Russian military 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). This article stipulates a punishment ranging from a financial fine to 5-7 years in prison.

Eastern Economic Forum

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