WikiLeaks releases documentary on Imran Khan

Rating Justification

The iVerify Pakistan team has reviewed this content and determined that it is misleading.

To reach this conclusion, the iVerify Pakistan team conducted an investigation of the WikiLeaks documentary on PTI founder Imran Khan.

Multiple posts circulating on social media platform X on July 3, 2024, claimed that WikiLeaks had released a documentary on PTI founder Imran Khan after an American resolution and a UN report in his favour. However, it is actually an interview that was released back in 2012.

Imran is currently incarcerated in Adiala jail in the Iddat case. His sentences in two Toshakhana cases against him were suspended while the Islamabad High Court acquitted him in the cipher case.

In a significant boost to the PTI stance of alleged rigging in the February 8 elections, the US House of Representatives on June 25 passed a resolution calling for a thorough and independent investigation into any claims of interference or irregularities in the general elections.

On July 1, an opinion by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention surfaced which questioned the nature of Imran’s legal proceedings, declared them to be without any legal basis and recommended the government to immediately release him.

HOW IT STARTED

On July 3, 2024, a video was shared by an X user who appeared to be a PTI supporter according to his past posts with the caption, “Wikileaks has released a documentary on Imran Khan. First, there was the American resolution, then the United Nation’s stance, and now WikiLeaks.This spells disaster.”

The post gained over 177,000 views and linked to the entire documentary.

The same claim regarding the documentary’s release was shared by other X users as well here and here.

METHODOLOGY

A fact check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and keen public interest in the matter as it pertained to the perpetuation of alleged international support for Imran and his stance.

Investigating the link in the viral post led to an X post by WikiLeaks on July 2.

The post clearly mentioned that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange spoke to Imran in the “revealing 2012 interview”.

Searching for a link to the original 2012 share of the interview led to a June 27, 2012, post on WikiLeaks’ official Facebook page.

The post in turn led to a YouTube video titled, “The Julian Assange Show: Imran Khan (E9)”.

However, the video was unavailable.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: MISLEADING

The claim regarding the release of a WikiLeaks documentary on Imran is misleading.

It was actually an interview conducted with Imran, but back in 2012 — not in July 2024 as per the impression given by the circulating social media posts which placed the video’s release after the US resolution and the UN working group’s opinion report.

Such ambiguity can mislead the public about the actual timing of the WikiLeaks video release and lead them to think it’s a new development tied to Imran’s current situation and international developments related to him.

Evidence and References

July 3, 2024, X post of WikiLeaks
https://perma.cc/T67A-6ZPZ

June 27, 2012, WikiLeaks Facebook post:
https://www.facebook.com/wikileaks/posts/imran-khan-interview-with-julian-assange/254380611343588/