On March 21, 2025, a video began circulating on various social media platforms, claiming to show large-scale protests against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan occurring in East Timor. As the video gained traction, it sparked widespread interest and concern among viewers who believed it reflected international discontent towards Erdoğan’s administration.
This was particularly significant given the political climate in Turkey at the time, where Erdoğan faced increasing criticism and unrest due to various socio-economic issues and political decisions. The claim raised questions about the extent of dissent against his government beyond Turkey’s borders and prompted a fact-check to verify its authenticity.
The central claim under investigation is that the video accurately depicts protests against Erdoğan in East Timor. This assertion implies that there is notable international opposition to Erdoğan’s rule, with demonstrations occurring far from Turkey. However, this claim has been identified as false.
Upon thorough investigation, it was revealed that the video does not show protests in East Timor. Instead, the footage originates from actual protests that took place in Turkey. These protests were sparked by the imprisonment of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul, who had previously been a vocal critic of Erdoğan’s government. The events depicted in the video occurred earlier in March 2025 but were misrepresented as happening in East Timor.
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