On September 28-29, Georgian-language Facebook accounts (1, 2) published a video showing Turkey, specifically the Bosphorus Bridge, where a green laser displays a Russian inscription: “14.08.1992. We mourn with the Abkhazians. Eternal memory to those who sacrificed their lives for Abkhazia’s victory.” One of the posts containing this video suggests that Turkey is mourning the Abkhazians who died in Abkhazia and points to Turkey’s “friendship” with Georgia. Some viewers perceive the inscription on the Bosphorus Bridge as reflecting the official position of the Turkish state.
The video of the pro-Abkhaz inscription on the Bosphorus Bridge is misleading, creating the impression for some internet users that it represents the official stance of Turkey. It should be noted that several companies in Turkey offer services where clients can pay to have personalized messages displayed with lasers on the Bosphorus Bridge.
-
Who is the original source of the video?
A search for the original source of the video revealed that it was first posted on August 15 on an Abkhaz account on the social platform X. According to the post, the video was filmed in Istanbul on August 14, 2024, on the anniversary of the start of the war in Abkhazia.
The account, created using the name and image of Abkhaz Bolshevik “Efrem Eshba,” states in its description that its owner lives in Abkhazia. The profile also declares that the Republic of Abkhazia is the land of the Abkhazians and has been a target of Georgian propaganda for years. This account mainly shares posts and news from the Abkhazian news agency Abkhaz World about Georgia and Georgians (1, 2, 3). The profile also includes a link to the Abkhaz World website in its description. Among its posts, the account responded to Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili’s statement in Gori, where he said, “We will definitely find the strength to apologize for the fact that, as instructed, the treacherous ‘National Movement’ set our Ossetian brothers and sisters ablaze in 2008.” The X account commented on this statement by saying: “georgian authorities may apologize because of their own interests. But the “urge and desire for occupation” within the georgian people will never end.”
-
The inscription on the Bosphorus Bridge
Displaying holographic messages on various objects is relatively simple. Numerous companies in Turkey offer services that allow people to project desired messages or figures onto the Bosphorus Bridge using holograms. For example, one such Turkish company that organizes yacht tours also offers clients the option to project messages onto the Bosphorus Bridge using lasers. There are no word limits for the messages, and the total cost of the service is 5,000 Turkish Lira.
Source: istanbool.tour.com
“Myth Detector” previously investigated a similar case. In a past incident, there was a claim that a billboard in Manhattan congratulated the former president Saakashvili’s mother Giuli Alasania, and Giorgi Chaladze on their wedding. The video showed a collage of Alasania and Chaladze being displayed on a billboard with the accompanying text: “Congratulations on your wedding,” “Love is love.” In reality, anyone from any country can pay to display a message on Manhattan’s advertising billboards for a certain amount of time.
About the sources:
The anonymous Facebook profile Apolitical Page frequently spreads misleading information and visuals about government opponents. Myth Detector has repeatedly verified posts shared by this account on social media.
Fan Tina has several active accounts on social media (1, 2) and is known for frequently spreading disinformation and conspiracy theories. Myth Detector regularly checks the claims posted by this account.
The article has been written in the framework of Facebook’s fact-checking program. You can read more about the restrictions that Facebook may impose based on this article via this link. You can find information about appealing or editing our assessment via this link.
Read detailed instructions for editing the article.
Read detailed appeal instructions.
