Moscow court issues arrest warrant for Meta spokesman

MOSCOW. Feb 12 (Interfax) - Moscow's Basmanny District Court has issued an arrest warrant for spokesman of Meta (designated an extremist organization in Russia) Andy Stone at the request of investigators in a criminal case initiated on counts of calling for terrorism and extremism, the court's press service told Interfax on Monday.

"The court has handed down a measure of restraint in the form of remand in custody for two months on Andy Mark Stone from the moment of his detention in Russia or extradition to Russia," the statement said.

The court said Stone is charged with promoting terrorist activities and publicly calling for terrorist activities and extremist activities. He was put on the federal and international wanted list, the press service said.

The court session took place on November 24, 2023, and the court ruling took effect on December 25.

The Russian Investigative Committee earlier said it has initiated criminal proceedings against Meta employees due to their illegal actions, which manifested themselves in calling for violence against Russian citizens.

"Company press secretary Andy Stone said on the social network that Meta had suspended the ban on calls for violence against Russian troops on its platforms as a form of political self-expression," the committee said.

The Russian Federal Financial Monitoring Service added Stone to the list of individuals and entities in respect of which there is information about their involvement in extremist or terrorist activities on Monday, February 12.