Wrote: Festim Rizanaj
Several Albanian-language Facebook pages have published an image of Pedro Sánchez, in which he is shown holding the holy book of Islam, the Quran. This image has been shared with the claim that: "Anyone who insults the Prophet Muhammad (saw) or disrespects the Holy Quran is sentenced to 5 years in prison. The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has approved a new and tough rule on the respect of religions in the Spanish state." (here, here, here, here, here)
After verifying this post, it was determined that the image has been edited, while the claim presented in the content is not true.
What is known about this claim?
In some versions of this image of the Spanish prime minister, an English caption has been added: "Spain New Rule Pedro Sánchez Insults Prophet Muhammad Salim Allah OR Disrespects The Holy Quran In Spain Could Face Up To 5 Years Jail"Translated into Albanian, this inscription claims that: “New rule in Spain: Pedro Sánchez – whoever insults the Prophet Muhammad or disrespects the Holy Quran in Spain can face up to 5 years in prison.”
Through a reverse image search, the original photo of the Spanish Prime Minister has been found, which shows that the version circulating on social media has been manipulated to create the impression that he is holding the Islamic holy book in his hands. This shows that the photo shared on Facebook is modified and does not represent a real situation.
Likewise, the claim that a new law has been passed in Spain that punishes insulting the Prophet Muhammad or disrespecting the Quran with 5 years in prison has not been found in any credible information source, in international media reports, or in official documents of Spanish institutions.
What does the law say in Spain?
In Spanish law, there is a provision in the Spanish Penal Code that deals with offending religious feelings. According to article 525 of this code, a person who publicly mocks or offends the beliefs, rituals or feelings of a religious group is punished with a fine. This provision does not provide for a sentence of five years in prison and is not limited to Islam, but applies to all religions and beliefs. (here)
In some special cases, such as acts of desecration in places of worship or the interruption of religious ceremonies, the Criminal Code provides for penalties that may include fines. Details on the fine penalty are set out in sub-chapter 4 of this code. (here, here)
However, these provisions are unrelated to the claim spread on social media about a new law that specifically punishes insulting the Prophet Muhammad or disrespecting the Quran.
In fact, in recent years there has been public debate in Spain about the possibility of reforming or abolishing the provision on “offending religious feelings”, with the argument that it could limit freedom of expression. (here)
Analyze:
An image of Pedro Sánchez with a Quran in his hand has been shared on social media, claiming that a new rule has been adopted in Spain according to which anyone who insults the Prophet Muhammad or disrespects the Quran is punished with up to 5 years in prison.
Verification shows that the image is manipulated and the claim is false; such a law does not exist in Spain, while the Spanish Penal Code only provides for fines for offending religious feelings, not 5 years in prison.
Based on its work methodology, hibrid.info considers this claim to be "fake news".
Reasoning:
The “Fake News” rating is given to informational content that is entirely fabricated or that contains factually incorrect claims or information. Content that is rated as fake news can be defined as having been created and distributed with the intent to misinform the public, i.e., to present a claim that is completely false as fact.