TUNIS: The head of Tunisia’s National Heritage Institute urged authorities Tuesday to block the sale of royal artefacts at an auction in France, saying they were spirited out of the country.
More than 100 objects “of huge historical value were taken out of the country without any official authorization in the second half of March, in the midst of the (coronavirus) lockdown,” Faouzi Mahfoudh said.
“They don’t belong to any state museum. It’s private property,” the head of the National Heritage Institute told AFP.
They include an ancient Qur'an which belonged to Mohamed el-Moncef Bey, one of the last representatives of the Husseinite monarchy that ruled Tunisia from 1705 until its independence from France in 1957, Mahfoudh said.
Also in the lot is the original copy of a reference book on the Husseinite monarchy written by 19th century Tunisian historian and politician Ahmed ibn Abi Dhiaf.
Among the 114 objects are ceremonial apparel from the start of the 20th century, religious manuscripts, poetry books and official correspondence.
They are due to go under the hammer in an online June 11 sale organized by the Paris-based Coutau-Bégarie auction house.
“The authorities must do what is needed to stop this sale because these objects have a priceless value and are part of the country’s history,” said Mahfoudh.
He said that authorities on Tuesday had launched an investigation to determine how the artefacts were smuggled out of Tunisia.
Mahfoudh said the National Heritage Institute had only found out on Sunday that the objects had left Tunisia without authorization.
“I will not cede these objects to anyone for all the money in the world,” Mahfoudh said.
The National Heritage Institute is also planning on submitting an official complaint to the state prosecutor, he said.
Tunisia seeks to block online auction of royal artefacts
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Tunisia seeks to block online auction of royal artefacts
- They are due to go under the hammer in an online June 11 sale organized by a Paris auction house
Syria evacuates flood-affected residents of displacement camps in Idlib
- Emergency teams conduct drainage operations, clear culverts within camps, reopen more than 25 roads, 30 water channels
- Teams coordinate with Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, Idlib governor’s office to oversee distribution of humanitarian aid
LONDON: Authorities from the Syrian Arab Republic have evacuated dozens of families from six displacement camps in western Idlib in the past two days after severe weather caused flooding and damage.
Raed Al-Saleh, the Syrian minister of emergency and disaster management, said 173 families had been moved from camps in Badama and Khirbet Al-Jouz to temporary shelter centers in Idlib Governorate.
Emergency teams have conducted drainage operations, cleared culverts within the camps, reopened more than 25 roads and 30 water channels, and removed five earthen berms as part of preparation for further weather systems, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
They are coordinating with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, and the Idlib governor’s office to oversee the distribution of humanitarian aid.
A rubble removal and road restoration project in Jabal Al-Akrad in the Latakia Governorate has also been initiated to help facilitate residents’ return, the SANA added.
Heavy rainfall in northern and western Syria has resulted in flash floods since Saturday that have swept through areas near seasonal waterways in western Idlib Governorate. The floods have submerged several tents and prompted authorities to evacuate families and open temporary shelters for those displaced.
