Image altered to show Syrian rebel leader's pronouns in CNN graphic | Fact check
The claim: Image shows CNN graphic included Syrian rebel leader's pronouns
A Dec. 10 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows the leader of the Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in a sit-down interview on CNN.
"Abu Mohammad al-Jolani (He/Him) HTS LEADER," an on-screen graphic reads.
"CNN put a Salafi Jihadist's gender pronouns on the screen," reads the caption on the post, which is a screenshot of an X post.
The Facebook post was shared more than 100 times in two days. The X post was reposted more than 100 times in three days.
More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page
Our rating: Altered
The image was digitally edited to add "He/Him" pronouns to the graphic.
Digitally added text font different than authentic text
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is the Islamist militant group that led rebel forces on a lightning offensive from Aleppo to Damascus, ultimately toppling Syrian President Bashar Assad on Dec. 8. The U.S. designated Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as a terrorist organization in May 2018, citing its association with Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. Nusra Front claimed to cut organizational ties with al-Qaeda in 2016.
Abu Mohammed al-Golani, whose name was spelled al-Jolani by CNN and is also known as Ahmed al-Sharaa, has led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham since its formation in 2017. Over the years, al-Golani has tried to rebrand himself as a moderate figure, calling for "religious tolerance and pluralism," according to The Associated Press. He was interviewed by CNN in early December.
However, the claim that CNN included al-Golani's pronouns in an on-screen graphic during the interview is false. The image has been digitally manipulated.
Fact check: Post falsely claims image shows Bashar Assad in Moscow
The original CNN video, posted on Dec. 6, shows international correspondent Jomana Karadsheh interviewing al-Golani about the rebel advance in Syria. The graphic in the post appears at the eight-second mark in the video, but it does not include "He/Him" pronouns next to al-Golani's name.
There are other indicators that the image in the post has been manipulated. The "He/Him" text in the altered image is set in a different font than the text used for al-Golani's name. The digitally added text is also noticeably sharper than other text in the CNN graphic.
Paste BN reached out to the Facebook and X users who shared the posts for comment but did not immediately receive responses.
Logically Facts also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources
- CNN, Dec. 6, Syrian rebel leader says goal is to ‘overthrow’ Assad regime
- Associated Press, Dec. 8, Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria’s Assad?
Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.
Paste BN is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.