False claim about Iran protester executions goes viral with help from celebrities, politicians

People protest the death of a woman who was detained by the morality police in downtown Tehran, Iran, on Sept. 21.

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 of that week. The post no longer appears on Davis’ account, but it was still up on Turner’s on Tuesday afternoon. MORE