2012 Video Shared as Recent Protests Against Saudi’s Latest Wave of Executions
The Claim
The video shows a recent protest condemning the [government’s] latest [wave of] executions [of political prisoners and other individuals].
News posted on
Emerging story
Facebook and Twitter users have recently shared a video claiming it showed a protest in Saudi Arabia in protest of the government’s latest executions against political dissidents and other individuals.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s team investigated the circulated claim and found it misleading. The video is older than claimed; it was posted on YouTube in Oct. 2012 when protests against the Saudi government erupted. Misbar’s team could not verify the exact time and location of the video, however.
In the period between 2011 – 2013, Saudi Arabia witnessed waves of protests in many cities, especially in the east.
The claim was shared against the backdrop of the Saudi government announcement on March 12, 2022, that it executed 81 individuals, seven of whom are Yemenis and one is Syrian, claiming that they were convicted on terrorism-related charges.
Translated by Ahmed N. A. Almassri
