Turkish police have detained four individuals in connection with the recent vandalism of a Greek Orthodox cemetery in Constantinople, serving the Tatavla community in the Kurtuluş district.
The incident took place last Friday morning when workers at the Saint Eleftherios Cemetery found a six-meter hole dug illegally within a restricted area of the cemetery. While no graves or the chapel were harmed, the intrusion caused great distress to the local residents.
Reports from Constantinople police revealed that the excavation occurred at 4:50 a.m. The suspects were traced to the Küçükçekmece suburb west of Constantinople after arriving at the cemetery in two vehicles. Upon their arrest, authorities discovered 48 pages of documents detailing treasure locations, a metal detector, explosives, a notebook, and an air gun.
The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate strongly condemned the desecration at Saint Eleftherios Cemetery, labeling it an assault on cultural heritage and religion, not just a cemetery. They denounced the act as a display of contempt for religious freedom and a targeted attack on the Greek Orthodox community in Constantinople.
The Archons highlighted that even the guard dogs at the site were drugged, allowing the perpetrators to commit the crime without hindrance. They called on the Turkish government to swiftly capture and prosecute those responsible, reaffirming the nation’s dedication to religious tolerance.
If left unchecked, the Archons cautioned that the vandalism at Saint Eleftherios Cemetery, established in 1865, would signal the precarious state of religious minority groups in Turkey. They reiterated their commitment to safeguarding the faith of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Greek Orthodox community in Constantinople, and believers globally.
Expressing profound regret to the Tatavla community, the Archons urged the Turkish government to provide prompt and suitable restitution for the incident.