Claim: EgyptAir flight 804 was found after it went missing 50 years ago. Fact: EgyptAir flight 804 crashed in 2016 and debris confirming the crash was found during an extensive investigation shortly following the incident. On 13 June 2024, the Facebook user “Arman’s Diary” posted a split image of passengers asleep on a flight and […]
Claim: All emails related to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) leak have been removed from WikiLeaks as part of Julian Assange’s plea deal. Fact: WikiLeaks has struggled with server errors for years. It has not recently occurred as part of a plea deal. Emails related to the DNC can still be accessed through the website. […]
Claim: A video shows an old man sexually assaulting a minor girl in an agricultural field. Fact: The clip is actually from a 2004 Iranian TV series called “Zahra’s Blue Eyes” and depicts the main character and her grandfather attempting to flee Israeli police officers. On 20 June 2024, anti-Islam activist Salwan Momika posted (archive) […]
Claim: Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, who has engaged in incidents of burning the Quran, has been found dead in Norway. Fact: Salwan Momika is not dead. He has denied rumours of his death, saying he was being held by Norwegian authorities after fleeing Sweden with the intention to seek asylum in Norway. On 31 May […]
Claim: UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has issued a notice rejecting financial documents from nine Pakistani banks and three English Language Tests as part of the visa application process. Fact: UKVI has made no such announcement. The viral notice is false and appears to be doctored. On 10 June 2024, X (formerly Twitter) user “Aurangzeb […]
Claim: In a 6 February judgement on a blasphemy case, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa (1) acquitted the accused without any punishment; (2) ordered the deletion of Section 295-B from the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC); (3) permitted Ahmadis to print their own holy book; and (4) allowed Ahmadis to openly preach their religion. Fact: Chief […]
Claim: On 7 October 2023, Hamas “raped & kidnapped” the daughter of Ireland’s minister of defence and foreign affairs, Micheál Martin, “kidnapped” the daughter of Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris, and “raped & kidnapped” the wife of Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Fact: The posts carrying the aforementioned claims have no basis in reality […]
Claim: A viral image shows former Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi’s mother’s house, highlighting how she lived in “simplicity”. Fact: The image does not show Raisi’s mother or her home. In fact, the image is from 2016 and shows Raisi visiting residents from the impoverished areas of Mashhad, Iran. On 23 May 2024, Facebook user “Verified […]
Claim: A viral picture shows Prince William getting emotional while embracing Prince Harry over Kate Middleton’s dire health situation. Fact: The image is AI-generated. Moreover, the royal family has not issued any updates suggesting that Kate Middleton’s health is in serious condition. On 22 May 2024, a user on Facebook posted an image (archive) of […]
Claim: A viral video clip shows US President Biden falling asleep on stage during a Memorial Day observance event. Fact: A video clip with poor resolution was shared without context to make it look like President Joe Biden fell asleep during the event. On 27 May 2024 X (formerly Twitter) user @TPostMillennial shared a video […]
Claim: A woman accused of blasphemy in Lahore’s Ichhra was wearing a dress bearing verses from the Quran. Fact: The dress of a woman who was accused of blasphemy in Lahore’s Ichhra did not have any Quranic verses or inscriptions printed on it. On 5 March 2024, X (formerly Twitter) user @_Zoii__ claimed (archive) that […]
Claim: A video shows PTI’s chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and talk show host, Maleeha Hashmey being affectionate at the Islamabad High Court building. Fact: The video is from India where a former government official can be seen kissing a woman at a court building. Barrister Gohar Gohar was elected as the new chairman of […]