Investigation launched over unauthorized cleaning of village cemetery

A controversial incident in İskeçe has sparked widespread surprise and criticism. An investigation has been launched after a group of volunteers cleaned and fenced the cemetery in Celepli, one of the region’s abandoned Turkish villages, without official permission. As part of the inquiry, Gürhan Ömeroğlu, one of the volunteers involved, was summoned to the İskeçe Police Directorate to give a statement.

According to information obtained, a volunteer group cleaned the long-neglected Turkish cemetery in Celepli—located west of İskeçe—in April and surrounded it with a wire fence. Following the cleanup, the İskeçe Archaeology Directorate filed a complaint, claiming that the work had been carried out without authorization. This led to the initiation of a formal investigation. Within this framework, Gürhan Ömeroğlu gave his statement to police on Tuesday, 18 November.

In a public post regarding the incident, Ömeroğlu stated that he was called to testify on allegations that they had damaged the cemetery. He wrote:

“It's truly absurd, even tragicomic. For years, stones have been stolen from that cemetery, treasure hunters have been digging, and graves have been vandalized. All we did was try to prevent further damage and protect the site by installing a fence to keep animals out. Despite this, complaints were filed against us, and we were summoned to testify. The matter will most likely go to court. In Western Thrace, preserving your heritage, culture, and ancestors unfortunately means being ready to pay a price.”

The launch of an investigation into the cleanup of the cemetery in Celepli—an abandoned Turkish village—has been met with disbelief and frustration within the minority community. The village was reportedly deserted in the 1960s, with most residents migrating to Turkey and a smaller number settling in İskeçe. No one has lived in the village for many years.