“We unequivocally condemn the desecration of the Orthodox Cemetery of Agios Eleftherios in the Tataoulon community in Istanbul, which insults the memory and history of the Greek minority in Turkey,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says in a statement and emphasizes: “We call on the Turkish authorities to do the due to this heinous act”.
It is recalled that an act of desecration occurred yesterday at the Orthodox Cemetery of Agios Eleftherios in Istanbul, in the community of Tataulon (Kurtuluş).
As reported by SKAI’s correspondent in Istanbul, Manolis Kostidis, the desecration took place on the day of the Divine Liturgy at Panagia Sumela, in Trebizond, where some nationalists had targeted the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church.
According to information published in the Turkish press, on August 23, the employees of the Agios Eleftherios Cemetery found a breach in the barbed wire, damages to graves, dug pits and the dogs in a state of anesthesia.
The Turkish media reports that the police forces were immediately notified, who recorded the damage and collected evidence.
Turkey: Stop provocative actions
The Commissioner of the Tataoulon Community, in which the particular Cemetery is located, made the following statement about the event:
“The attack that took place this morning at the Greek Orthodox Cemetery of Agios Eleftherios caused great sadness in our community. The security forces and field investigation teams that intervened quickly found a deep excavation in the cemetery, which was done for reasons unknown, so far. In addition, the dogs in the cemetery were observed to be in a state of lethargy and the necessary intervention was made by the veterinarian.
This attack is assessed as a move made against our religious values. We have complete confidence that the police forces will bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible.
The Roman Cemetery of Agios Eleftherios Kurtuluş (s.s. Tataula) is located in the Kurtuluş district and is one of the most important cemeteries that since 1865 serves the deep-rooted Greek Orthodox community of the area. The cemetery, which has existed for 159 years, is of great importance both religiously and culturally.
This area, which witnessed the multicultural structure of the district, became a symbol of the different communities that coexisted peacefully throughout history.
In the light of this specific information, we would like to state that the attack was not only against a cemetery, but also against a deep-rooted cultural heritage and religion. Kurtuluş region stands out as a region where people of different religions and cultures have lived in brotherhood for centuries and no attempt will be allowed to harm these bonds of brotherhood.”
The president of the Tataoulon Community, Giorgos Theodoridis, in his statements to the Turkish media, said that this sad event should not be transferred to other dimensions and that “with unity we will manage to stop these provocative actions”.
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