Egypt Imposes Stricter Penalties For Illegal Artifact Trading - Culture Ministry

Cairo has tightened up penalties for the illicit trading of archaeological artifacts outside Egypt and inappropriate behavior in the country's museums, the Egyptian Culture Ministry's press office said on Monday

CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th February, 2020) Cairo has tightened up penalties for the illicit trading of archaeological artifacts outside Egypt and inappropriate behavior in the country's museums, the Egyptian Culture Ministry's press office said on Monday.

The relevant amendments were introduced into the decades-old law and were approved by the country's parliament on Sunday.

"Any individual, who bought or sold an item of cultural heritage or parts of it outside Egypt without an official document for the export of this artifact would be penalized with a fine between one million [Egyptian] Pounds [$63,400] to 10 million pounds and imprisonment in a maximum-security detention facility," the ministry said, adding that the artifacts would be immediately confiscated.

The ministry explained the move by citing the increased frequency of cases involving the trade of illegal artifacts. These items are often sold on social media, and traders claim that the artifacts were legally obtained.

Additionally, Cairo has increased the penalties for inappropriate behavior at cultural heritage sites and museums. Individuals sentenced for these crimes could face imprisonment for up to one month and a fine of up to 100,000 Egyptian pounds.