Vandals desecrated the Greek Orthodox cemetery of St. Eleftherios in the early morning yesterday in the Kurtuluş community of Tataulon in Constantinople, a historic cemetery that has served the Orthodox community in the area since 1965.

According to Sabah, cemetery officials who arrived there early Friday morning found the guard dogs in a state of lethargy and obvious signs of vandalism at the site, including pits dug by unknown perpetrators.

A statement issued by the cemetery’s officials to local media stressed that the attack was an “act against the religious values” of the area’s Orthodox community.

See the statement in detail below:

“The early morning attack that took place at the Greek Orthodox Cemetery of St. Eleftherios in Tatayla caused great sadness in our community. The security forces and field investigation teams who arrived immediately found that a deep excavation had been carried out in the cemetery for reasons unknown, as yet. In addition, it was observed the dogs guarding the cemetery were drugged and the necessary intervention was made by a veterinarian. This attack is considered an act against our religious values. We have full confidence in the police forces and believe that they will bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible.”

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The Greek Cemetery of Agios Eleftherios Kurtuluş is located in the district of Tataoulos and is one of the most important cemeteries serving the deep-rooted Greek Orthodox community of the area since 1865. The cemetery, which has been in existence for 159 years, is of great importance from both a religious and cultural perspective. This site, which has witnessed the multicultural structure of the district, has been a symbol of different communities living together peacefully throughout history.”

The president of the Tataoula Community, George Theodorides, stressed in his own statements that this is a sad event and said he is confident that the Turkish authorities will quickly solve the case.