Posted: 12.03.2022 12:44:00

Russian Prosecutor General’s Office demands to recognise Meta as extremist organisation

The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation demands to recognise the American company Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) as an extremist organisation and have all its activities banned in Russia – as reported by TASS

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“In accordance with the Federal Law On Countering Extremist Activities, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation has sent an application to the court to recognise Meta Platforms Inc. as an extremist organisation and ban its activities on the territory of the Russian Federation,” the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office said.

The Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal case on incitement of hatred and enmity against Russians in connection with the actions of Meta employees.

Earlier, Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow would take ‘the most decisive measures’ if Facebook and Instagram did not block calls for violence against Russians, including military personnel.

Meta Platforms Inc. includes social networks Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp messenger. The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation reported that, according to the data confirmed in a statement by Meta spokesman Andy Stone (dated March 11th), in light of the situation in Ukraine, the company had temporarily lifted the ban on its social networks for residents of a number of countries to post information containing calls for violence against Russian citizens, including military personnel. According to Reuters, the changes in the company’s policy apply to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine and Estonia.