STAGED: CNN Accused of Staging Prisoner Release Video in Syria

Yesterday, CNN shared a clip of a Syrian prisoner being freed by Journalist Clarissa Ward. But the internet is not buying the story and are convinced CNN faked the prison release video to make exaggerate claims against the Assad-regime.

The video starts with CNN journalist Clarissa Ward searching one of Assad's secret prisons. They eventually 'stumble' on a door that is still locked, apparently the only one that is still locked in the prison.

There is a rebel fighter accompanying them, and he asks them to turn off the cameras while he shoots the lock. Interesting that the cameras do not capture the lock shot off by the rebel fighter.

In the room, they find a man under a blanket that doesn't immediately respond to the group of people that crowd his cell. After telling the group that he is a civilian he grabs the CNN journalist's hand.

They take him outside, and he has a dramatic reaction to the sun, saying he was kept in darkness for three months. "Oh god, there is light" he says, still clutching Clarissa Ward's hand. They seat him outside and the rebel fighter hands the man something to eat in a perfectly packed plastic container.

The rebel fighter tells the prisoner that there is no more army, no more prisons and no more check points. Then the man turns to the fighter and say dramatically, "Are you serious? Syria is free?" He then grabs the fifighter'sead and kisses it.

As the interview continues, that man starts to shake more and more and when the paramedic arrives, shock sets in and the man is shaking even more and stuttering. The paramedic then gives a speech to calm the man down, saying, "you are safe, don't be afraid anymore, everything you are afraid of is gone."

As the prisoner is getting into the medical vehicle, he starts to get upset again, saying "every car I got into they blindfolded me." The video ends there.

𝕏 users were quick to point out inconsistencies in the story and prior fabrications made by CNN's Clarissa Ward. Here she is faking a Hamas rocket attack last October.

𝕏 user, Lord Bebo, pointed out that the prison had been cleared out five days earlier, but the prisoner never attempted to communicate with anyone. There are gun shots outside his cell and then people speaking English and still, he remains under his blanket. Very strange behaviour.

CNN's video has also been community noted on 𝕏 (screenshot below), readers added, "Clarissa Ward has a history of fake clips along with misinformation. Just like the time she staged a fake rocket attack on Israel."

CNN's prisoner has a very different story to that of Travis Timmerman, an America prisoner who was also discovered this week. When released by rebels, Timmerman was calm and seemed unbothered by his experience, he even suggested that he was treated well by the Syrian government.

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