Photo of Woman In Chains Is From A Play, Not The Taliban Takeover
The Claim
The photo below depicts a woman in chains following the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
Emerging story
The photo went viral following the Taliban takeover. Social media users claim it depicts a woman in chains being led by a member of the Taliban. One post was retweeted and liked thousands of times.
Misbar’s Analysis
MENA: We discovered that the photo is actually from a 2014 London street play meant to illuminate women’s issues in Iraq and Syria.
A reverse image search of the photo led to a Newsweek article about the play, which was put on by a group called Compassion 4 Kurdistan. A video of the play is below.
While the picture is not from the recent takeover, many are concerned about the treatment of women under Taliban rule. A Taliban representative promised they would respect women's rights in a press conference on Tuesday, but the organization is known for their repressive treatment of women.
