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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-09-26
CONTENTS
[01] GERMAN COURT - CYPRIOT ANTIQUITIES - REPATRIATION
[01] GERMAN COURT - CYPRIOT ANTIQUITIES - REPATRIATION
A German court has ordered the repatriation of priceless Cypriot
treasures, stolen from Cyprus northern Turkish occupied part of the
country. A press release, issued by the Law Office of the Republic of
Cyprus, says that in 2004 the Republic of Cyprus, the Greek Orthodox
Church, the Church of the Maronites and the Church of the Armenians
filed a civil law suit before Munich District Court to retrieve stolen
antiquities, which had been in the custody for the Bavarian authorities
since 1997.
The said antiquities were located in 1997 by the Bavarian police,
hidden in between walls and under the floor of two flats which belong
to a Turkish national, Aydin Dickmen, in Munich. Part of the findings
include religious icons, part of mosaics and pieces of Byzantine
frescoes of priceless historic, cultural and religious value.
Since these were located, the government and the Church of Cyprus had
made several moves to have these artifacts repatriated. The moves did
not yield any results and it was decided to file a civil law suit
before the German courts. On Thursday, 23 September, Munich District
Court issued its decision on the law suit against Dickmen which
vindicated fully the Church of Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus.
The Court ruling puts an end to a difficult and hard legal battle,
which lasted six years, by ordering the return of our cultural heritage
treasures, the press release said. It added that the Court ruling is
subject to appeal.
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