Published: 29.5.2018.

Which media are lying about Syria?

In mid-April, a series of photos from Syria appeared on several Facebook pages and websites, claiming that these were scenes created after US, British and French attacks on Assad's positions in Syria, about which “the Western media are silent”.

The article is another version of well-known conspiracy theories, according to which the “Western media” are silent about the real situation in Syria, or they invent non-existent war actions, which intensified last month - and which we have already written about in previous analyzes. On April 16, 2018, the website Dnevno published an article titled:

SYRIAN PRIEST: The Western media told you the biggest lie of our time - We are alive thanks to Assad!

This article was also published on a Facebook page by Croatian MP Ivan Pernar, known for his propensity to spread conspiracy theories covering everything from medicine, theology and economics to wars and global politics. His publication has been shared over 900 times by the time this text is written.

The article refers to the “testimony” of a certain Danielo Maes, a Belgian priest living in Damascus:

Father Danielo Maes has been sending reports on the reality in Syria for years that the Western media do not want to publish. He claims that all Christians support Assad, that he brought peace and independence to the country, and that is why Western powers want to destroy him. He also claims that all Western media coverage of Syria is a big lie and deception.

‘The idea that the Syrian people rose up against Assad, that the Syrian people started a rebellion against him is incorrect. I was in Qari in 2010 to see with my own eyes how agitators outside Syria are organizing anti-government protests and recruiting young people.

The article encloses as “evidence” two photos showing a rally in support of Assad, claiming that it happened on April 12 this year:

After Dnevno published this article, it was taken over by dozens of other websites, and the photos soon began to be shared on Facebook. We found them on the web pages of Intermagazin, Paralela, Srpska cast, and on several private profiles that published them a day later.

The description of all five publications states that “you will not see these images in the Western media”, and in total, they have been shared over 4,000 times.

None of the claims that accompany these photos are true.

The photos were not taken in April 2018 but were taken between 2011 and 2013, and they were made and first published by the “Western media”.

The first photo was published by Reuters, in its photo gallery from the pro-government rally held on October 12, 2011.

The second photo was also taken in 2011 during one of the rallies in support of Assad, which was then reported by many “Western media”, such as the American The New York Times, the British Telegraph, and others, and Reuters’ photographer also took the photo.

We found the oldest post of the third photo on Twitter, where it appeared on August 28, 2013.

So, the claim that “the people of Syria took to the streets in April this year, and the media is silent about it” has nothing to do with reality. Articles and publications that are old - and repeatedly published - photos presented as “hidden” footage of the recent rally in support of Assad, all of these we rate as fake news and distribution of fake news.

Note: June 1, 2018: After the analysis was published, Raskrinkavanje’s editorial board received an answer to the inquiry from SB Plus website, and we are sharing it in its original form: SB Plus: Dear colleague Zulejhic since you wrote that you “want to ask us” but haven’t asked yet, so you’ve just expressed a desire to do so, we don’t mind you asking us whatever you want. There are no stupid questions but only answers. As for Syria, I personally think that racist, pro-Nazi, plutocratic America attacked them imperialistically in order to plunder their mineral wealth. I also believe that BiH is occupied by the same gang in a way that allows criminals of neo-Nazi provenance (and) genocide to appropriate the area conquered as their 'vilayet'. At the same time, that 'son of a bitch' Covic, in a coalition with the 'criminal from Laktasi', continues the Milosevic-Tudjman policy; Boban - Karadzic, all to the detriment of Muslims (Bosniaks). And the Bosniaks, on the other hand, fucked up in 1992 by defending Bosnia from the Ustashas and Chetniks with a 'jihad', and not with a 'partisan' (i.e., civil, patriotic, guerrilla, etc.) anti-fascist struggle. If you ask me anything, as I said, I will answer you Greetings Jerko Zovak

(Author: Emir Zulejhić, Raskrinkavanje.ba)

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