A fake image of a Jehovah's Witnesses magazine cover has been circulating on social media in the Democratic Republic of Congo since late August 2026. The image, presented as a cover of La Tour de garde, a magazine published by Jehovah's Witnesses, features a title in Swahili that translates to "When will M23 leave Kivu?" The image appears to suggest that Jehovah's Witnesses have taken a stance on the conflict in eastern DR Congo.
The image was first shared on Facebook on September 2, 2026, by Joseph Mutumwa in the Goma Comedy Group. The post garnered 88 likes and 18 comments, with some users expressing concern that the image could be misinterpreted as an official statement from Jehovah's Witnesses. Two days later, another Facebook user, Kakule Kahamba Firmano Kahongya, shared the same image on his page. The image was also shared in the Kivu News Facebook group on September 5, accompanied by a message asking Jehovah's Witnesses to provide a response on the M23 conflict.
A reverse image search conducted by Eleza Fact using Google Lens revealed that the image had been previously published on Instagram on August 26, 2026, by Sébastien Karim. However, the original title of the magazine cover was "La vie a-t-elle un sens?" which translates to "Does life have a meaning?" The original image was published in 2019 as part of La Tour de garde's issue 2, which focused on coping with life's challenges and finding spiritual guidance.
Further analysis of the image using Fake Image Detector and Photo Forensics revealed signs of digital manipulation. The tools indicated that the image had been generated or modified by computer with an 80% probability. An error level analysis (ELA) also showed a notable difference in brightness and compression between the added text and the rest of the image, suggesting that the elements had been recorded or recompressed at a different level than the rest of the image.
This is not an isolated incident, as several other manipulated images of Jehovah's Witnesses magazine covers have been circulating on social media, with titles referencing unrelated topics such as sports teams and politicians. These false images give the appearance of official publications, but are actually modified covers. Jehovah's Witnesses are known for their neutral stance on politics and conflicts, making it unlikely that they would publish an official cover calling for a response on the M23 conflict.
The authentic cover of La Tour de Garde No 2 2019 confirms that the topic is actually about the value and meaning of life, offering spiritual advice based on the Bible. The preface of the issue also emphasizes the publication's apolitical nature, stating that it has been published since 1879 and remains neutral on political matters.
The spread of manipulated images highlights the need for fact-checking and verification, particularly in conflict zones where misinformation can have serious consequences. Eleza Fact's investigation demonstrates the importance of verifying information through multiple sources to prevent the spread of false information.
Key points
- The manipulated image of the Jehovah's Witnesses magazine cover was created by adding text to a 2019 issue of La Tour de garde.
- The original image was published in 2019 as part of La Tour de garde's issue 2, which focused on coping with life's challenges and finding spiritual guidance.
- Jehovah's Witnesses maintain a neutral stance on politics and conflicts, making it unlikely that they would publish an official cover taking a stance on the M23 conflict.
