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The comment that Sheikh Hasina is innocent in the July movement is not from the Saudi Gazette

Recently, a claim has been spread across social media stating: ‘Powerful international media outlets like Reuters, Al Jazeera, and BBC have published news and interviews about Sheikh Hasina. Just like these international media outlets, Saudi Arabia’s media outlet Saudi Gazette has also published positive news about Sheikh Hasina. Their news suggests that Sheikh Hasina is innocent regarding the killings in the July movement and that the people want her as the head of government again, given the overall situation in Bangladesh.’

See some posts circulated on Facebook: here (Archive), here (Archive), here (Archive), here (Archive), here (Archive).

See posts circulated on Instagram: here (Archive).

Fact Check

The Rumor Scanner Team’s investigation found that the Saudi Arabian media outlet Saudi Gazette did not publish any news containing the information that ‘Sheikh Hasina is innocent regarding the killings in the July mass upsurge and that the people want her as the head of government again, given the overall situation in Bangladesh.’ In fact, the Saudi Gazette published the information, citing different news sources, which is now being circulated as a comment from the Saudi Gazette itself.

In the investigation, no information was found to support the claim after observing the Saudi Gazette’s social media handles (Facebook, Instagram, X), website, and YouTube Channel.

The latest report published by the Saudi Gazette about Sheikh Hasina was on November 20. The report, titled ‘Sheikh Hasina’s conviction for crimes against humanity is testing India-Bangladesh ties,’ did not mention any information related to the discussed claim.

Earlier, a report published on November 17, titled ‘Bangladesh’s ousted leader Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death for violent crackdown on protests,’ also did not state, based on its own information, that she is innocent regarding the killings in the July mass upsurge and that the people want her as the head of government again.

Furthermore, an earlier report published on November 14, titled ‘Ex-Bangladesh leader says she’s not guilty of crimes against humanity,’ mentioned that, in an interview with the BBC, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, denied the allegations of crimes against humanity during last year’s mass upsurge.

This means that the news was published by referencing Sheikh Hasina’s interview with the BBC. The Saudi Gazette did not provide this information as its own comment.

Therefore, the comment that ‘Sheikh Hasina is innocent regarding the killings in the July movement and that the people want her as the head of government again’ has been circulated as a comment from the Saudi Gazette; which is completely false.

Sources

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