A false claim that Iran plans to execute thousands of people has gone viral in the wake of the first death sentence for a protester tied to the demonstrations against the country’s clerical rulers over women’s rights.
An image that has circulated widely on social media falsely says 15,000 protesters have been sentenced to death. That claim is not true, but it has been amplified by major public figures, including the actors Viola Davis and Sophie Turner and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Representatives for Davis did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Representatives for Turner declined to comment.
The claim gained the most attention on Instagram, where a viral infographic claiming “Iran Sentences 15,000 protesters to death — as a ‘hard lesson’ for all rebels” was viewed more than a million times after celebrities like Davis and Turner shared it on their verified accounts Monday. The post no longer appears on Davis’ account, but it was still up on Turner’s on Tuesday afternoon.
There has been no evidence that 15,000 protesters have been sentenced to death. Two protesters had been sentenced to death as of Tuesday, although they can appeal, according to state news agencies.
Instagram has applied a “False Information” warning on Turner’s post, noting: “The same information was reviewed by independent fact-checkers in another post.”
On Twitter, however, the false claim continued to spread Tuesday without any warning about its inaccuracy.
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