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Repatriation of Looted Lebanese Antiquities

Today Amineddoleh & Associates was honored to attend the repatriation ceremony for three looted antiquities from the Temple of Eshmun in Sidon, Lebanon. Our founding partner served as the cultural heritage legal expert for the District Attorney’s Office, providing expertise on Lebanon’s cultural heritage laws for the seizure of a marble sculpture formerly on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

During the ceremony, in which the items were returned to the Lebanese Republic, District Attorney Cyrus Vance addressed the need to protect against looting of art. He discussed the importance of due diligence by museums, auction houses, and collectors. He also acknowledged the work of Matthew Bogdanos, Karin Orenstein, and John Labatt. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Agent Erik Rosenblatt noted the link between organized terror and antiquities looting, mentioning the mounting evidence gathered by HSI. The Lebanese General Consul, Majdi Ramadan, expressed his gratitude for today’s repatriations, and the continued cooperation of the District Attorney’s Office and his nation. And finally, Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO, briefly spoke about the significance of the repatriated pieces and the importance of enforcing laws against looting. She applauded restitution ceremonies and legal action against looting as they signal the law enforcement agency’s willingness to pursue restitution and punish wrongdoing.
After the statements, Matthew Bogdanos, the attorney responsible for working on these repatriations, fielded questions from reporters. He noted that the antiquities were looted during times of conflict. He also clarified that the Metropolitan Museum of Art was not guilty of any wrongdoing, and that his team will continue working to restitute stolen and looted heritage.
It was an honor for Amineddoleh & Associates to play a role in the return of these items. For more information, please visit http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/12/15/ancient-sculptures-returned-to-lebanon/ and http://manhattanda.org/press-release/manhattan-district-attorney%E2%80%99s-office-returns-three-ancient-statues-lebanese-republic