Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Claim
Video shows an elderly man molesting a minor girl in Pakistan.
Fact
Footage from Iranian TV series “Zahra’s Blue Eyes,” showing a man and his granddaughter escaping Israeli forces.
Several social media users, including verified handles, shared a video claiming to show an elderly man sexually assaulting a minor girl in an open field. Those sharing the video further identified the man as one “Mohammad Moinuddin,” and alleged that the video is from Pakistan. However, Newschecker found the claim to be untrue. The video actually shows a scene from a TV series.
Multiple X users shared the video claiming to show an incident from Pakistan’s Jacobabad.
Such posts can be seen here, here and here.
Other X users sharing the video also alleged that it shows a Muslim man molesting a young girl, however, they didn’t mention any specific location.
Such posts can be seen here and here.
Also Read: ‘Special Meeting’ Between PM Modi And The Pope At G7 Summit In Italy? No, Viral Video Is From 2021
Fact Check/Verification
On skimming through the comment sections of various posts carrying the viral footage we noticed multiple users pointing out that it is in fact a scene from a movie called “Zahra’s Blue Eyes.”
Taking a clue, we looked up keywords “Zahra’s Blue Eyes” on YouTube which led us to a video uploaded by @AhmetYasinAKTÜRK on May 1, 2016. Its description stated, “Zehra’s Eyes is a 2004 Iranian TV series. Actors named Seyyid Mir Hüseyin Malimi, Sumuta Hisam and Cihan Bahş Sultani appear in the production directed by Ali Drahşi. The plot of the series belongs to Ali Drahşi and Said Sultani. (translated via Google)”
Around 2 hours and 32 minutes into the video, we spotted the viral footage showing an elderly man with a young girl in a field.
Furthermore, the series was also uploaded on the official YouTube channel of Network Movie in January, 2024. Detailing the plot of the 2004 Iranian series, it stated, “Isaac Owen, one of the Israeli commanders, has a blind child. Owen takes action to take the eyes of a Palestinian child so that his own child can see. He sends a medical delegation to a school in a refugee camp in Palestine for an eye examination.”
Adding, “The main purpose of the delegation coming to the school is to take care of Isaac Owen’s child. During the examinations, doctors admire Zehra’s eyes. There’s only one thing left for Isaac Owen to do now; To play a trick on Zehra and her family and take Zehra’s eyes.”
Also Read: Old Photo Of Durga Puja Ritual In Assam Temple Falsely Linked To Ratlam Temple Desecration
The scenes in the series leading to the viral clip shows the elderly man and the young girl, Zahra, escaping the Israeli forces, and hiding among the bushes in a field.
We then searched for “Zahra’s Blue Eyes” on Google, and were directed to the MEMRI TV website. We looked up the series on MEMRI TV site, and found multiple episodes from the same. After scanning through multiple episodes, we could conclude that the elderly man seen in the viral footage played the character of Abd Al-Rahman, Zahra’s grandfather.
The website also featured a short interview of Ali Derakhshni, the screenwriter and director of the series Zahra’s Blue Eyes. “ I started working on this project when I was active in the (Iranian) education ministry, 17 years ago,” he was quoted as saying.
Also Read: Viral Video Showing Eid Celebrations In West Bengal Is Actually From Bangladesh
Conclusion
We could thus conclude that a clip from a TV series has been shared to falsely show an elderly man sexually assaulting a young girl in Pakistan.
Result: False
Sources
YouTube Video By @AhmetYasinAKTÜRK, Dated May 1, 2016
YouTube Video By Network Movie, Dated January 26, 2024
MEMRI TV Website
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
