Protecting Cultural Heritage as a Common Good of Humanity: A Challenge for Criminal Justice

This e-book is a collection of select papers and essays presented at the international conference titled, ‘Protecting Cultural Heritage as a Common Good of Humanity: A Challenge for Criminal Justice,’ held in Italy, 13-15 December, 2015. It can be accessed through the website of the International Scientific and Professional Advisory Council of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme (ISPAC).

The e-book is divided into five sections featuring opinions on the significance of institutions and other private stakeholders in safeguarding cultural heritage. The first section outlines the need for reform in regulating illegal traffic in cultural property. The second section focusses on international institutions as they fight against illicit trafficking in cultural property. The opportunities and challenges encountered in international cooperation are discussed in the third section of the e-book. The fourth section features some of the best practices and case studies involving antiquities trafficking. The e-book concludes by highlighting the role of private actors in preventing illegal traffic.

Some of the contents of the e-book are:

• Recent activities of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) regarding the fight against traffic in cultural property
• Cultural heritage crime in the Islamic Penal Code of Iran
• International judicial co-operation: A tool for fighting the illicit traffic in cultural property (return, restitution and confiscation)
• The international convention of exhibition and fine arts transporters