Syrian president amends antiquities law to preserve country's heritage
Syria, Politics, 3/2/1999

Syrian President Hafez al-Assad on Monday issued law no. 1 for 1999 on the amendment of the law of the antiquities.

The President decrees: Article 1- the law of antiquities issued by the Legislative Decree no. (222) dated 26.10. 1963 and its amendments is to be amended in accordance with the rules stated in the following articles:

Article 5. Chapter seven (punishments) which included the articles 75 to 83 is canceled and replaced by Chapter Five (Punishments) and its following articles:

Article 56- Anybody who smuggles or participates in smuggling antiquities is sentenced to 15-25 years imprisonment together with a fine of Syrian Pounds 500,000 to SP 1,000,000.

Article 57- A. Anybody who steals a fixed or movable piece of art is sentenced to 10 to 15 years imprisonment together with a fine of SP 100,000 to SP 500,000

B. Any body who explores for antiquities will be severely punished if the excavation work damages the piece of antiquity

C. Trading in antiquities

Article 58- Anybody who,

A. Destroys or damages or demolishes or hides a fixed or movable antique piece will be severely punished if it occurs within the state's properties.

B. Makes a piece or pieces distorting historical facts. He is sentenced to trading in antiquities if he sells it as a real example. The made or sold pieces, the tools and machines used in making pieces are expropriated and delivered to the concerned authorities, will be sentences to five to 10 years together with a fine of SP 25,000 to SP 500,000

Article 69- Antiquities authorities have to give an export license for the following:

A. Antiquities scheduled to be exchanged with museums and scientific commissions outside Syria

B. Antiquities belonging to a commission or an association or scientific mission as a result of official exploration works they have carried out. Antiquities mentioned in the above two paragraphs are exempted from export charges.

Article 9. This law is to be published in the Gazette.

Previous Stories:
  Israeli archaeological thefts from the Golan   (1/4/1999)
  Syrian report on Israel's violation of human rights in the Golan   (8/20/1998)

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