2014 Photo Shared as People Executed in Saudi Arabia Recently
The Claim
A photo depicts scenes from the funeral prayers of 41 people who were recently executed in Saudi Arabia.
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Emerging story
A photo circulating on social media purports to show the scenes of the funeral of 41 Shia youths executed by Saudi Arabia recently.
Misbar’s Analysis
The photo was taken on November 7, 2014, during the funeral procession for victims of a fatal shooting attack in Saudi Arabia. Using Google Image Search, we found the original photo, which was first published online on AFP in 2014, with the caption, "Saudi mourners attend the funeral of eight Shiite victims killed earlier this week by masked gunmen in the town of Al-Dalwa in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province on November 7, 2014."
However, the photo circulating is unrelated to Saudi Arabia's recent executions and has been shared in a misleading scenario.
The Saudi Press Agency reported that the Ministry of Interior had carried out capital punishment sentences against 81 people accused of terrorism and capital crimes.
Following the executions, Amnesty International stated that Saudi Arabia's use of the death penalty has increased alarmingly this year, bringing the country's total number of executions, which includes Saudis and non-Saudis, to 92.
