Fact Check: Photos from Egypt, Indonesia passed off as crowd gathered in India for Ramzan prayers
Two images showing a large group of people wearing white skull caps and offering prayers has gone viral on social media with the false claim that they were taken in India during Ramzan.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 18 April 2021 6:00 PM IST
Hyderabad: Two images showing a large group of people wearing white skull caps and offering prayers has gone viral on social media with the false claim that they were taken in India during Ramzan. Hashtag #BanRamzanGatherings is being used with the photos. However, these images are not from India.
Fact Check:
IMAGE 1:
NewsMeter performed a reverse image search and found the same image in an Arab News report dated April 2020. The image was credited to AFP and said it was shot in Old Cairo's historic Amr Ibn Al-Aas mosque (Egypt).
We also found the same image on Getty Images from June 2019. "Egyptian Muslims perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan," read the photo description.
The viral image was taken in Egypt and NOT India.
IMAGE 2:
A reverse image search on the second image led to an article by NPR from April 2020. The article said people had gathered to offer namaz in Lhokseumawe, Indonesia, despite coronavirus concerns. "Muslim men attend a Friday prayer despite concerns of the new coronavirus outbreak, at a mosque during the first day of the holy month of Ramadan in Lhokseumawe, in the religiously conservative province of Aceh, Indonesia," the article said. The photograph is credited to Zik Maulana of Associated Press (AP). The image was uploaded on 24 April 2020 on AP.
The viral image was taken in Indonesia and is not from India.
It is clear that the two viral images are not from India but from Egypt and Indonesia. Hence, the claims are FALSE
