This photo shows people reading the Koran in Iraq
- This article is more than one year old.
- Published on December 19, 2019 at 05:00
- 3 min read
- By AFP Pakistan
Copyright © AFP 2017-2025. Any commercial use of this content requires a subscription. Click here to find out more.
The photo was published in this Facebook post on November 23, 2019. It has been shared more than 200 times.
The post’s Urdu-language caption translates to English as: “After the Koran was desecrated by Jews in Norway, Muslims are openly reciting the Koran. Share it widely so that the message reaches these infidels.”
Below is a screenshot of the misleading Facebook post:
The same photo was also published on Facebook here, here and here with a similar claim.
The misleading posts were published after a Koran was desecrated on November 16 at a rally in the Norweigan city of Kristiansand.
Here is an Associated Press report published on November 24, 2019, about the incident.
The claim in the posts is misleading; the photo actually shows Muslims reading the Koran in the Iraqi city of Karbala.
Here is an AFP photo which shows the same monument in the background of the photo in the misleading post.
Below is a screenshot of the photo in the AFP Forum:
The photo’s caption reads: “Iraqis take part in ongoing anti-government protests in the central city of Karabala on October 31, 2019. Iraq's leaders scrambled to produce a solution to mounting protests demanding the ouster of Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi that have so far left more than 250 dead. Demonstrations first erupted on October 1 over corruption and unemployment and have since ballooned, with protesters now insisting on a government overhaul. Mohammed SAWAF / AFP.”
Below is a screenshot comparison of the photo in the misleading posts (L) and the AFP photo (R):
The photo shows Al-Tarbiyah Square in Karbala.
The same monument in the square can be seen in this Google user’s image tagged at the location on Google Maps.
Below is a screenshot of the image in the misleading posts (L) and the image tagged in Karbala on Google Maps (R):
Iraq has been rocked by anti-government demonstrations for several months, as reported here by AFP on November 29, 2019.
This report published by Iran-based news outlet International Quaran News Agency states people were reading Koran in Karbala on the sidelines of recent protests in the city.
“The main objective of the Quranic session was to commemorate those who lost their lives in the demonstrations that recently took place in Iraq,” the report states.
Below is a screenshot of the report:
Is there content that you would like AFP to fact-check? Get in touch.
Contact us
