This Video Does Not Show the Moment a Robber's Ears Were Cut Off in Turkey
The Claim
A video shows a looter that had his ears cut off after robbing houses in Turkey following the recent Turkey-Syria earthquake.
News posted on
Emerging story
Social media users circulated a video purporting to show a looter that had his ears cut off as a punishment after robbing houses in Turkey following the recent earthquake.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating video and found the claim to be misleading.
After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar's team found the video making the rounds to be outdated and unrelated to Turkey.
The Video Is Not from Turkey
The same video was posted a month ago on a forum site called “watchpeopledie.tv.”
Anadolu Agency reported that the person who was violently treated in the video was begging in Spanish.
According to publishers of the video on discussion forums, the incident happened in Mexico due to cartel conflicts.
Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu Refuted the Claim
The Interior Minister, Süleyman Soylu, also stated that the video was not captured in Turkey following the earthquake.
In a tweet, he called social media users to debunk misinformation and fight fake news together.
The Turkish President Vows to Punish Looters
When the issue of security arose, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan warned that the government would take firm action against those involved in looting and other crimes in the earthquake-ravaged regions.
After a visit to the disaster area, he announced, "It means that, from now on, the people who are involved in looting or kidnapping should know that the state's firm hand is on their backs."
The video circulated after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit Turkey, Syria, and other nearby countries on February 6.
According to Al Jazeera, the death toll from the earthquake has surpassed 45,000.
Read More
This Video Does Not Show Puppies and Kittens Rescued After the Turkey-Syria Earthquake
