Jun82026

True: “In Belarus and Russia anti-terrorism and anti-extremism laws are regularly used to criminalize reporters’ work”

Fact-check, True

Reporters Without Borders published the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, which demonstrates that while Western European countries hold high positions in press freedom, Russia and Belarus rank among the lowest globally. In its research, RSF stated that in these two countries, the authorities use anti-terrorism and anti-extremism laws to prosecute both domestic and international journalists…

Read more
Jun82026

Mostly false: “More journalists killed in Gaza war than in both world wars combined”

Fact-check, Mostly false

An article by “Al Jazeera” from March 2026 claims that “more journalists have been killed in Gaza since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, than in the US Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, the wars in the former Yugoslavia and the coalition invasion of Afghanistan –…

Read more
Jun72026

Mostly False: “85% of the crimes committed against journalists go uninvestigated and unpunished.”

Fact-check, Mostly false

On May 3rd, during the global observance of World Press Freedom Day, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a speech regarding the safety of media professionals, marking the occasion and highlighting the systemic failures that continue to obstruct the work of the press and endanger lives worldwide. In his speech he made the claim:…

Read more
Apr292026

Mostly True: “Flemish rivers are the dirtiest in Europe”

Fact-check, Mostly true

On Wednesday 28 January 2026, during the plenary session of the Flemish Parliament, MP Mieke Schauvliege (Groen) stated that Flemish rivers are the dirtiest rivers in Europe. According to Schauvliege, Flanders is facing a “gigantic PFAS problem that is making drinking water way too expensive.” Speaking on behalf of the Flemish green party Groen, she…

Read more
Mar92026

Mostly true: “SHEIN is working to reduce the environmental footprint of its products and facilities”

Fact-check, Mostly true

The statement to be reviewed originates from the website of the fashion company SHEIN and refers to its publicly communicated efforts in the area of climate protection and decarbonisation: “Our operational teams and supply chain partners are working to reduce the environmental footprint of our products and facilities.” Despite the statement being mostly true, it…

Read more
Mar32026

Mostly true: “If Germany became climate-neutral tomorrow, no natural disaster would occur less frequently”

Fact-check, Mostly true

During the plenary session of the German Bundestag on 9 July 2025, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) stated: “Germany accounts for approximately 1 percent of the world’s population. We account for roughly 2 percent of the problem in terms of CO₂ emissions. Even if we were all climate-neutral in Germany tomorrow, not a single natural…

Read more
Mar22026

Mostly false: “The problem is mass migration. Flooding our streets with men from women-hostile cultures = abuse, violence, murder”

Fact-check, Mostly false

In October 2025, Sebastian Kruis, politician for the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV), posted a controversial statement on his X profile: “The left says the problem is men. Wrong. The problem is mass migration. Flooding our streets with men from women-hostile cultures = abuse, violence, murder.” The post appeared two months after the murder of…

Read more
Feb202026

Mostly true: “These terrible temperatures have a serious impact on health”

Fact-check, True

In an interview with “The Guardian” dated July 2, 2025, Teresa Ribera, Vice-President of the European Commission for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, comments against the backdrop of the increasing frequency of heatwaves in Europe. On the occasion of the heatwave in the summer of 2025, she states: “They are absolutely terrible temperatures that…

Read more