Video does not show 2022 funeral in Iran; it’s been circulating online since at least 2021

Protests have filled Iran’s streets following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody after being arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly. Women and others  protested her death, and United Nations human rights officials said they’ve received reports that 76 people have died in the protests. 

Iranians have risked their safety by posting video of the protests. But some videos being shared by others on social media are misleading. 

One video shared Sept. 28 on Instagram by American actor and comedian D.L. Hughley showed a man dancing among a group of people. Another man reached out and grabbed the dancer as he became seemingly overwhelmed with emotion.

“Saddest thing I have ever seen in my life: a father who promised his daughter he will dance at her wedding now dancing at her grave after she was killed by Iranian regime in the protests against killing people for forced hijab,” read the text on the video, which is originally from TikTok.

The video was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

But the video does not depict recent events in Iran. It has been circulating online for more than a year. 

A reverse image search for the video showed the earliest online posting was a July 12, 2021, post on Facebook. The caption is in Turkish, and a translated version says it tells the story of a man who danced for his daughter after she died.

The video does not show a father dancing for his daughter at her grave after she was killed during recent protests in Iran.

We rate this claim False.

By

Gabrielle Settles

Staff writer

September 29, 2022

Truth-o-meter Ruling

False

IF YOUR TIME IS SHORT

• The video of a man dancing has been circulating online since at least 2021. It does not depict a scene in Iran this year.

Statement

Father danced for his daughter at her grave after she was killed during recent protests in Iran.

Context

a video

Speaker/Target

Speaker: Instagram posts

Statement Date

September 28, 2022