Welcome to Disinfo Bulletin, your daily update from the EDMO network. Today's most relevant stories: 

🇮🇷 False stories about international reactions to the death of the Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi. Adding to the conspiracy theories circulating on the issue, including one suggesting that Raisi is actually alive, false stories about the Iranian president's death also concern alleged grief or celebration expressed by international figures after the crash of his helicopter. In Spain, a false story is circulating that Putin personally traveled to Iran to attend Raisi's funeral, while a doctored video circulating in the country purports to show the Israeli ambassador to the UN celebrating Raisi's death.


🗳️ 🇩🇪 False information about the EU electoral process pushing citizens to invalidate their vote in Germany. Following the already mentioned false story that EU ballots are invalid – allegedly because of holes and cut corners, which actually facilitate citizens with disabilities to vote – other false stories circulating in Germany concern the EU electoral process. On TikTik and X, posts are suggesting that multiple voting and multiple marks on the ballots are allowed or asking citizens to sign the ballot to prevent voter fraud. In fact, these false claims are trying to induce citizens to invalidate their legitimate choices, since both of these practices make the votes invalid.


☦️ 🇷🇺 How the Kremlin weaponizes religion within EU borders. Greece Fact Check, an organization part of the EDMO fact-checking network, published last week an analysis of how the Kremlin leverages religion for propaganda and disinformation about the war against Ukraine in Greece.

By framing the Ukraine conflict as a holy war, Russian state media and officials manipulate religious sentiments to garner support and justify their actions. This strategy is particularly effective in Greece, where disinformation leverages religious connections to sow discord, foster pro-Russian and anti-Western sentiment (for example, by playing on prejudices around LGBTQ+ issues), and undermine support for Ukraine, demonstrating a sophisticated use of cultural ties to achieve geopolitical goals. Read the full analysis here: Ελληνορωσική φιλία και εργαλειοποίηση της θρησκείας: Μύθοι, προπαγάνδα και παραπληροφόρηση (in Greek).

If you have suggestions, comments or requests about this newsletter, you can write to edmo.tfeu2024@eui.eu

What is a “disinformation narrative”? Please find here a short methodological note about the definition used by the EDMO fact-checking network.

The Disinfo Bulletin gathers material from the inputs of the EDMO fact-checking network, as well as a recently launched public database from the EFCSN network (Elections 24 Check), and the various national EDMO hubs, including community initiatives and insights from individual fact-checking organizations.

Photo: Official Website of the supreme leader of Iran, 2015