Cultural Heritage Destruction in Middle Eastern Museums: Problems and Causes Evan A
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Santander Art and Culture Law Review 2/2015 (1): 27-62 DOI: 10.4467/2450050XSR.15.012.4510 RESEARCH ARTICLES Leila A. Amineddoleh* [email protected] Galluzzo & Amineddoleh LLP 43 West 43rd Street, Suite 15 New York, NY 10036, United States Cultural Heritage Vandalism and Looting: The Role of Terrorist Organizations, Public Institutions and Private Collectors Abstract: The destruction and looting of cultural heritage in the Middle East by terrorist organizations is well-documented by social media and the press. Its brutality and severity have drawn interna- tional criticism as the violent destruction of heritage is classified as a war crime. Efforts have been made to preserve objects against bombing and destruction, as archaeologists and other volunteers safeguard sites prior to assault. There is also precedent for pros- ecuting heritage destruction via national and international tribu- nals. In term of looting, black-market antiquities provide a revenue stream for ISIS; therefore, efforts must be made to stop this harmful trade. Governmental agencies have taken actions to prevent funding through antiquities. Public institutions have a role in safeguarding looted works by providing asylum to them without fueling the black market. At the same time, private collectors must also not purchase * Leila A. Amineddoleh is a Partner and co-founder at Galluzzo & Amineddoleh where she specializes in art, cultural heritage, and intellectual property law. She is involved in all aspects of due diligence and litiga- tion, and has extensive experience in arts transactional work. She has represented major art collectors and dealers in disputes related to multi-million dollar contractual matters, art authentication disputes, inter- national cultural heritage law violations, the recovery of stolen art, and complex fraud schemes. -
ISIS - the Destruction & Looting of Antiquities: Challenges and Solutions Matthew Bogdanos ISIS - the Destruction & Looting of Antiquities: Challenges and Solu
ISIS - The Destruction & Looting of Antiquities: Challenges and Solutions Matthew Bogdanos ISIS - The Destructio iitoi i f Anuitest eh: Challenges Si utios Introduction As the head of the investigation into one of the greatest art crimes in recent memory— the looting of the Iraq Museum in 2003—I have spent more than a decade attempting to recover and return to the Iraqi people their priceless heritage (Bogdanos, 2005a and 2005b; Cruickshank, 2003). I have also spent a significant amount of time in three parallel pursuits: 1) attempting to correct the almost universal misconceptions about what happened at the museum, in those fateful days in April 2003; 2) highlighting the need for the concerted and cooperative efforts of the international community to preserve, protect and recover the shared cultural heritage of all humanity; and 3) trying to increase awareness of the continuing cultural catastrophe that is represented by the illegal trade in stolen antiquities, which is indeed funding terrorism. Toward these ends, and in more than one hundred and fifty cities in nineteen countries, in venues ranging from universities, museums and governmental organizations to law-enforcement agencies, from Interpol (the International Criminal Police Organization) to both houses of the British Parliament, I have urged a more active role for governments, international organizations, cultural institutions and the art 16* community. I have done so, knowing that most governments have few resources to spare for tracking down stolen artifacts; that many international organizations prefer to hit the conference 1 Parts of this article are adapted from Thieves of Baghdad: One Marine’s Passion to Recover the World’s Greatest Stolen Treasures (Bloomsbury, 2005). -
IS and Cultural Genocide: Antiquities Trafficking in the Terrorist State
JSOU Report 16-11 IS and Cultural Genocide: Antiquities Trafficking Howard, Elliott, and Prohov and Elliott, JSOUHoward, Report IS and Cultural 16-11 Trafficking Genocide: Antiquities JOINT SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIVERSITY In IS and Cultural Genocide: Antiquities Trafficking in the Terrorist State, the writing team of Retired Brigadier General Russell Howard, Marc Elliott, and Jonathan Prohov offer compelling research that reminds govern- ment and military officials of the moral, legal, and ethical dimensions of protecting cultural antiquities from looting and illegal trafficking. Internationally, states generally agree on the importance of protecting antiquities, art, and cultural property not only for their historical and artistic importance, but also because such property holds economic, political, and social value for nations and their peoples. Protection is in the common interest because items or sites are linked to the common heritage of mankind. The authors make the point that a principle of international law asserts that cultural or natural elements of humanity’s common heritage should be protected from exploitation and held in trust for future generations. The conflicts in Afghanistan, and especially in Iraq and Syria, coupled with the rise of the Islamic State (IS), have brought renewed attention to the plight of cultural heritage in the Middle East and throughout the world. IS and Cultural Genocide: Joint Special Operations University Antiquities Trafficking in the 7701 Tampa Point Boulevard MacDill AFB FL 33621 Terrorist State https://jsou.libguides.com/jsoupublications Russell D. Howard, Marc D. Elliott, and Jonathan R. Prohov JSOU Report 16-11 ISBN 978-1-941715-15-4 Joint Special Operations University Brian A. -