Russia convicts the spokesperson for Facebook owner Meta in a swift trial in absentia

By The Associated Press

An independent Russian news site has reported that a court in Russia 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 absentia. The news site Mediazona says the charges against Meta communications director Andy Stone stem from his remarks in 2022 following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Stone announced temporary changes to Meta’s hate speech policy to allow for “forms of political expression that would normally violate (its) rules.” Stone also said “credible calls for violence against Russian civilians” would remain banned. The Russian authorities opened a criminal case against Stone, accusing him of “illegal calls to violence and killings of Russian citizens.”