(قانون حماية الآثار رقم 117 لسنة 1983 ).
Objectives:
The objective of the Antiquities Protection Law is to provide comprehensive legal protection, preservation, and management for all Egyptian antiquities. It acts as a cornerstone for safeguarding Egypt’s historical and cultural heritage.
Restitution measures:
The law asserts that all antiquities found in Egypt are public property, with private ownership exceptions granted before 1983. Severe penalties, including life imprisonment and fines up to 10 million Egyptian Pounds, are imposed for smuggling to deter such crimes and aid in international recovery efforts. The law allows the state to reclaim antiquities irrespective of how long a private individual has possessed them. It mandates the registration of antiquities to facilitate the identification of stolen items, while the Supreme Council of Antiquities can evacuate exploiters from archaeological sites.
Limitations:
This legislation is preventative, rather than proactive. It is limited to public-private reclamation, meaning it cannot be applied to belongings held in public State collections. It, however, serves to support Egypt’s claims for material heritage held abroad, based on State ownership.
