A court in Russia on Monday convicted the spokesperson of U.S. technology company Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, of justifying terrorism and sentenced him to six years in prison in a swift trial in absentia, Russia’s independent news site Mediazona reported.
According to the outlet, the charges against Meta communications director Andy Stone stem from his remarks in 2022 following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 that year. Stone, who is based in the United States, announced temporary changes to Meta’s hate speech policy to allow for “forms of political expression that would normally violate (its) rules, like violent speech such as ‘death to the Russian invaders.’”
In the same statement, Stone added that “credible calls for violence against Russian civilians” would remain banned. The Russian authorities opened a criminal case implicating Stone and other unidentified Meta employees nonetheless, describing the statement as “illegal calls to violence and killings of Russian citizens.”
Ohio judge to rule Monday on whether the state’s abortion ban stands
Pregnant Jenna Dewan puts her bump on display in figure
Miranda Lambert, 40, looks loved
RCEP to bring more vitality and certainty
Insider Q&A: CIA's chief technologist's cautious embrace of generative AI
The reason WHY Beyonce's hit Cowboy Carter album wasn't nominated at the 2024 ACM Awards
Queen Maxima's rainbow wardrobe is 'a statement of confidence and strength,' says expert stylist
Iran Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian dies in helicopter crash
Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection after closing some restaurants
Eva Longoria is sheer perfection in see
Bella Hadid goes braless in a thigh
Vinnie Jones 'to discuss new romance' with Emma Ford in second series of In The Country