Ruling banning Meta in Russia was appealed by persons not parties to case - Moscow's Tverskoi Court

MOSCOW. July 20 (Interfax) - Moscow's Tverskoi District Court has registered appeals from persons not pertaining to any party to the civil case in which Meta was earlier banned in Russia over extremist activities, the court's press service told Interfax on Wednesday.

"The cassation appeals were submitted by persons that are not parties to the case," the press service for the Tverskoi District Court said.

It was reported earlier on Wednesday that the court received two cassation appeals against the court ruling in the relevant civil case.

On March 21, 2022, the Tverskoi District Court upheld the lawsuit of the Russian Prosecutor General's Office that was seeking to ban the activities of Meta Platforms Inc. in Russia, branding it as an extremist organization. Under the ruling, Meta was banned from selling products, specifically, of the Facebook and Instagram social networks, over conducting extremist activities.

However, the court decision does not apply to the online messaging service WhatsApp, also owned by Meta, as it is not engaged in public distribution of information.

On June 20, the Moscow City Court upheld the district court's ruling, dismissing the appeal filed by Meta.

Presently, public access to Facebook and Instagram is restricted in Russia.