Statement:
- (2020 Grant recipients of Pulitzer Center)
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, an average of 25 bodies are buried every day in the graveyard of Tabriz. Considering the total mortality rate during the period of COVID-19, this number is sure to increase. The government pays the cemetery workers and staff but due to Iran’s poor economic conditions, and the effect of economic sanctions, the workers are facing serious economic hardship. Some of them rely greatly on the small tips given to them by customers. After the outbreak of COVID-19 in Iran, and despite the declared nationwide quarantine, many individuals had to continue working due to their poor economic conditions. So too did the workers of the graveyard of Tabriz. They have to work to maintain their life, and must avoid losing their jobs.
Because of the manner of their work, and the fear of losing their jobs, the cemetery workers are forced to continue working under any circumstance. Wrongful government policies, and International sanctions have caused financial and psychological pressure on specific vulnerable groups of society, including the cemetery workers, during the days of quarantine in Iran.
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. The have masks due to outbreak of COVID-19. After the funeral, the relative of the corpse is bargaining with the mourner about the wages. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP )
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. The relative of the corpse is paying the wages of the religious man and the mourner in the quarantine days while having masks on their faces. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences.( Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. The mourner is playing a lament and is explaining the reason why the funerals have been cancelled due to outbreak of COVID-19 while all the people have masks on their faces in rainy quarantine day. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. The mourner is playing a lament for the corpse in quarantine days while having a mask on his face. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. The worker has put the corpse inside the grave while having a mask on his face and he asks the dead man’s relatives to take some distance, thus he can give the dead man a burial. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. They are handing over the corpse to the worker inside of the grave while they have masks on their faces. The worker is trying to get the corpse and put it inside the grave. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. The religious man is praying for the corpse in quarantine days while having mask on his face. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. The religious man and relatives of the dead man are praying for the corpse in quarantine days while having masks on their faces. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. The religious man and relatives of the dead man are praying for him in quarantine days while having masks on their faces. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. The worker is digging the grave while having a mask on his face. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences.( Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. The worker is digging the grave while having a mask on his face. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences.( Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
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- Tabriz, Iran, May 6th 2020. The religious man and the mourner are getting far away to attend the funeral after they have been paid. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences.( Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
