What was behind the “Simit Seller Hakan Fidan” photo

Hakan Fidan served as the head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) between 2010 and 2023, and was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet formed after the second round of the presidential election on May 28, 2023.

Because Fidan served as the head of MİT (National Intelligence Organization) for many years, the alleged image became the subject of numerous humorous posts.

Some posts even included claims that it was an image of Hakan Fidan from his time working in Istanbul in past years.

According to research conducted by Teyit.org, reverse image search results show a post from January 2020 related to the alleged image. In the original photo shared on a Facebook page named My Fatsa Haber, it is seen that the simit seller is a different person, contrary to the claims.

It was written that the person in the post, who is reported to be a simit seller in the Fatsa district of Ordu, is Adem Pek. It is understood that Hakan Fidan's face was photoshopped onto the alleged image in this post.

Images of the simit seller Adem Pek recorded at different times match the location and details in the alleged post. Here, it is also seen that there are clear differences between the facial features of Adem Pek and Hakan Fidan. 

In the alleged image, the Fatsa Municipality sign in the background is visible.

The same sign can be read in other photos of Adem Pek on the My Fatsa Haber page. This shows that the alleged image is not from Istanbul, but from Ordu. 

News reports about Pek working as a simit seller in Fatsa, Ordu, have also appeared in the press. 

The local news page My Fatsa Haber, which shared the original version of the alleged image in 2020, made a statement regarding the matter and confirmed that the image was a montage. 

News Source: 12punto