On June 10-11, 2025, Facebook accounts (1, 2, 3 ) known for frequently spreading false information published a photo from a protest, showing a slogan written by activists: “ჩიტებს ფრენა არ ავიშყდებათ” [roughly, “Birds don’t forget how to fly,” but in the verb “forget,” the Georgian letter “წ” – used in the correct form “ავიწყდებათ”- is replaced with the similar-looking letter “შ”].
The authors of the posts mocked the phrase, commenting: “Illiterate UNM vagabonds,” and “These people can’t even read or write – what Europe are they talking about!”
To discredit the protest participants, an edited image has been disseminated. In reality, the photo was manipulated – the Georgian letter “წ” was flipped, which distorted the original phrase. On the authentic photo, the slogan reads, “ჩიტებს ფრენა არ ავიწყდებათ” (“Birds don’t forget how to fly”).
The Facebook accounts used a photo originally published by the media outlet Mtavari Arkhi, as indicated by the logo on the image. A comparison of the two images shows that the letter “წ” was flipped and that the authentic photo does not contain the letter “შ.” Additionally, the online outlet Publika also published the same photo, further confirming that the original writing in front of the Parliament read “ჩიტებს ფრენა არ ავიწყდებათ.”
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Authentic Section |
Digitally Altered Section |
The phrase “Birds don’t forget how to fly” first appeared in a commercial directed by Giorgi Okmelashvili, based on his own script. On June 10, Giorgi Akhobadze presented it during a court hearing. After that, the slogan appeared on Rustaveli Avenue.
Giorgi Okmelashvili and Giorgi Akhobadze are participants in pro-European protest rallies. Okmelashvili has been sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly assaulting a police officer, while Akhobadze is facing charges for drug possession.
It is also worth noting that the aforementioned accounts (1, 2 ), which spread the photoshopped image, have published another manipulated photo, which was taken from the Facebook page of TV channel Pirveli.
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Edited Photos |
Authentic Photo |
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Prepared by Shorena Gobadze
Myth Detector Lab
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