Photo of Protestor Holding Sign of Imran Khan and Putin Is Altered
The Claim
A photo shows a protestor holding a poster with an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. Other protesters in the photo are carrying banners with anti-U.S. slogans.
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Social media users have circulated a photo of protests in Moscow, alleging it shows a demonstrator holding a photograph of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, as well as other protestors holding anti-U.S. slogans.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the claim and found it to be fake. The image has been digitally manipulated to add the photograph of Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan and Russian President Vladimir Putin and the anti-United States slogans.
Image Altered To Add Anti-United States Slogans and Imran Khan and Putin’s Photograph
Reading the comments on the claim, users have noticed that the image is a collage and was digitally altered to add the photograph and the slogans. Using Google Image Reverse Search, our team has found the original picture attached to articles on news outlets in January 2021 as protests erupted in Russian cities demanding the opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s release.
2021 Image From Moscow Protests Against Navalny’s Jailing
The original photograph depicts a demonstrator holding an image of Navalny and other individuals carrying banners and posters with slogans in Russian reading: “Freedom for Navalny!” and “One for all and all for one.”
Description: The original image shows neither the photograph of Putin and Imran Khan, nor the anti-United States slogans.
Description: The image was digitally altered.
According to the websites, the Associated Press photographer Pavel Golovkin took the original image on Jan. 23, 2021, in Pushkin Square, Moscow, during protests against the jailing of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. AP Images store has uploaded the pictures from the protests with a caption reading: “People gather during a protest against the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Pushkin square at the statue of Alexander Pushkin in the background in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021.”
Description: The Associated Press uploaded the image earlier in 2021.
Imran Khan Has Accused Washington of Conspiring With His Opponents
Based on our investigation and findings, the image of a demonstrator holding a photograph of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, and others raising anti-United States slogans is not authentic and has been digitally altered. Our team has also noticed that the claim started to circulate after Imran Khan accused the United States of conspiring with his opponents to topple him because of his independent foreign policy, which the U.S. denied.
