According to the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office, 81 tombstones were destroyed. The children are aged 11-13.
Dozens of graves were destroyed on the night of Thursday to Friday at the longest Jewish cemetery of Istanbul –which is partly abandoned– and five children were arrested for this desecration, the authorities announced.
According to the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office, 81 tombstones were destroyed.
The governor’s office said they were arrested on charges of vandalism “five teenagers aged 11-13”. “The suspects have been arrested and the investigation is ongoing”the statement added.
Hasköy Mezarlığımıza gece halışı girilimşı, 36 tane mezar taşımız tahrip ışımız.
Konu tüm resim ve night regisları ile ileliğini makamlara olup, we expect the perpetrators of this vandalism to be caught soon.@TC_icisleri @TC_istanbul pic.twitter.com/8vapMNW6o8— Türk Yahudi Toplumu (@tyahuditoplumu) July 15, 2022
The Jewish community of the city initially spoke of destruction of 36 graves. In her post on Twitter, accompanied by several photos, she said that the attackers entered the Hiascoi cemetery “around midnight” and destroyed 36 tombstones.
“The case has been handed over to the relevant authorities, with all accompanying photos and videos, and we expect the perpetrators of this vandalism to be apprehended as soon as possible.”he added.
📺// WATCH: The moment a group of children broke into a Jewish cemetery in Istanbul and vandalized at least 81 gravestones pic.twitter.com/ewU9WhXg24
— Jewish News (@JewishNewsUK) July 15, 2022
Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu immediately condemned the desecration of the cemetery, stressing that “those who try to disrupt our unity and solidarity with such provocations will never be vindicated.”
Haskoy is the largest Jewish cemetery in Istanbul and Turkey and is still used today by the Jewish community which now numbers 15,000 members, up from 200,000 in the early 20th century.
RES-EMP
View the news feed and get the latest news.
