Legal drama results in environmental catastrophe for Tehran
A few days ago, on August 12, at 6 in the morning, special units from Darband 122 Precinct arrived at Tehran’s Koohpayeh Park – located in Zafaraniyeh neighborhood in northern Tehran – with mini loaders and proceeded to cut down 50 trees without prior coordination with the District 1 Municipality.
The district deputy mayor was present at the scene in an attempt to prevent the tree cutting but was arrested by the police to enforce the court’s decision.
The preservation of Koohpayeh Park has been a longstanding concern for Tehran Municipality’s District 1. The park was initially an abandoned piece of land which had trees planted on it. Eventually, in 2010, it was transformed into a public park.
However, over these years, no concrete legal measures were taken to align its functionality with relevant laws and regulations. Had such actions been implemented earlier, today’s situation could have been different, and this environmental catastrophe could have been averted.
Nevertheless, the owner of the land now seeks either its return or compensation equivalent to its current value of around $40,000 based on a legal ruling obtained. As negotiations appear not to be underway, the owner decided to reclaim the land through legal means.
Regarding the process of destroying the park, District 1 Mayor Mehdi Sabbagh explained that they had repeatedly delayed executing the final order through lobbying efforts. However, this time around, execution took place unbeknownst to them and came as a complete surprise.
Sabbagh said that since 2020, there has been an ongoing judicial case concerning Koohpayeh Park’s land. The first verdict was issued that same year and revisions were made in 2021, and, finally, orders were sent for execution based on these verdicts.
The head of Tehran Islamic Council’s safety committee emphasized that cutting down trees in the region is against the law and called for accountability regarding the judge’s decision.
Mehdi Babaie referred to the incident, questioning the legality of this decision, saying, “Even if it was justified by tree relocation, why was it carried out during the summer season and using excavators and mini loaders?”
Babaie further asserted that, in his view, this decision goes against legal regulations and the judiciary should take responsibility for its basis.
When asked about the owner’s intentions for the land, Sabbagh explained that they plan to construct a residential building. However, he mentioned that they have also proposed changing the land’s designation to a green space to the Article Five Commission. They hope their request will be granted and implemented.