Strengthening CCTV Cameras in Behesht Zahra Following Grave Desecration

The Deputy for Social and Cultural Affairs of the Behesht Zahra Organization announced the examination of installing and strengthening CCTV cameras in this complex, stating that the organization will "decisively" confront "immoral behaviors" exhibited by individuals lacking "social ethics and awareness." These remarks by Saeed Khal, the Deputy of Behesht Zahra Organization, were made on Friday, October 15, in an interview with ISNA news agency, following reports of paint spraying, acid throwing, destruction, and defacement of graves or tombstones of Iranian artists, athletes, and notable figures in Tehran's Behesht Zahra. Khal noted the vastness of Behesht Zahra, which contains over 1.5 million tombstones, stating that it is not feasible to assign a "special guard" for each tombstone. He mentioned that most citizens are aware of the "etiquette and culture" of entering this complex, but "occasionally, some unethical acts occur by a handful of individuals who are far from ethics and social awareness." Khal described the disrespect towards graves and tombstones of the deceased as one of the "ugly phenomena" that arises only from abnormal individuals. However, he denied reports of "serial destruction or the formation of groups and organizations for these actions." The Deputy for Social and Cultural Affairs urged citizens to cooperate with the organization in identifying these individuals, adding that Behesht Zahra will firmly confront "immoralities and actions contrary to Islamic and human dignity in this sacred place." He also mentioned that "necessary coordination with law enforcement and security agencies" has been made, and studies for installing CCTV cameras have begun to prevent rare and unprecedented incidents in Behesht Zahra. In connection with his statements, IRNA also published a report titled "Desecration of Graves and Playing with People's Emotions is Forbidden," examining this issue. The news agency criticized the incidents of "paint spraying and defacement" of the gravestones of several athletes, including Gholam Hossein Mazlomi, Biouk Jadikar, and Homayoun Behzadi. IRNA quoted one of the workers from the "Notables of Behesht Zahra" section, who reported that a man and a woman informed him that "an elderly man painted the gravestones of Reza Ahadi, Homayoun Behzadi, Gholam Hossein Mazlomi, and Biouk Jadikar and left." He added, "It is very quiet here in the middle of the week, and security forces, like sentinels, are patrolling all of Behesht Zahra, and they cannot monitor a specific grave, and the cameras do not cover secondary areas and graves." Following reports of damage to the graves and tombstones of some individuals in Behesht Zahra, Abolfazl Ghanavati, a member of the Tehran City Council, called for a budget allocation for the maintenance of graves in this complex.