Outdated Video Shared as Celebrations in Turkey After Lira Has Bounced Back
The Claim
The video shows people in Turkey celebrating after the Turkish lira has partially recovered 33% of its value against the U.S. dollar.
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Emerging story
Social media accounts and pages have recently circulated a video claiming it showed people in Turkey celebrating following the Turkish lira’s partial recovery of 33% of its value against the U.S. dollar.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s team has investigated the circulated claim and found it misleading. The video is outdated, and parts of which were posted on Twitter on April 16, 2017, with the hashtag #ŞampiyonBayburt (or Champion Bayburt). Misbar also found the actual video in full posted on YouTube on April 18, 2017. The video showed people celebrating in the northeastern city of Bayburt, which at the time topped the list of cities with a majority in support of constitutional amendments that include the transition to the presidential system in Turkey.
Having taken a virtual tour via the Central Bank of Turkey and Fatih Pharmacy in Bayburt, and after comparing the shape of the landmarks of the buildings, windows, and columns in the circulating video with Google Maps, their identical shapes can be seen. This is shown in the photos below.
The claim has been circulating since the Turkish lira exchange rate against the US dollar improved by 33%. The rise in the lira's value was prompted by a statement of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who announced that his country would use a new financial tool that compensates savers for inflation by paying the difference between the value of the lira versus the dollar.
Photo Description: The news piece shows the referendum results on constitutional reforms.
Translated by Ahmed N. A. Almassri
