Ethiopia to launch a second earth observation satellite into orbit
One of the false claims HaqCheck debunked during the week was a news story published by state-affiliated media outlets that Ethiopia was preparing to launch its ‘second’ satellite into orbit.
The Facebook posts by the two pages were shared half a thousand times and got close to ten thousand reactions.
However, Ethiopia launched the second satellite into orbit two years ago.
The second Ethiopian satellite named ET-Smart-RSS was launched from China’s Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in December 2020.
The first remote-sensing satellite was constructed and launched from China in December 2019.
Yeshurun Alemayehu (PhD), Deputy Director of the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute (ESSTI) told HaqCheck that the country already launched two satellites and will launch a third soon.
Properties recently looted from Tigray
A claim sharing images was made on Twitter that Eritrean soldiers were looting properties in Tigray.
The tweet was viral and shared many times on the platform.
Yet, the image used to support the claim was old. The picture was first published on Facebook on April 21, 2022. The description of the original image states that the picture shows looted properties being transported from Humera to Gondar at the time.
Thus, the post was rendered as False.
PM Abiy appointed a new Foreign Affairs Minister
HaqCheck came across a Facebook post claiming that former ambassador Mesganu Arega was appointed as Ethiopian Foreign Minister by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed replacing incumbent Demeke Mekonnen.
The post was later edited and stated that the former ambassador was appointed as Ethiopia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
However, Ambassador Mesganu Arega was appointed neither a Minister of Foreign Affairs nor a Deputy of Foreign Affairs Minister.
He was named by the Prime Minister as a state minister of the Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Ministry.
HaqCheck rated the post as False.
Recommendations
We urge social media users to be attentive and cross-check the authenticity of the information they encounter before they share it with others.
Social media influencers and content creators are recommended to abstain from disseminating false and controversial information on social media platforms.
HaqCheck recommends public offices provide timely updates to the public and the media. Disinformation is intensified when there is a lack of sufficient information.
The media and the general public should enjoy the right to access information.
