The Self-Executive International Convention on the Recovery of Cultural Objects: Unidroit Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects of 1995

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The Unidroit Convention of 1995 has been considered as complementary to the Unesco Convention of 1970. The Unidroit Convention states that the possessor of a cultural object which has been stolen shall return it even though he is in good faith. Where the possessor proves that he exercised due diligence when acquiring the object he will be entitled to have a fair compensation. However, the original owner should file the recovery of the object within three years from the time when he knew the location of the cultural object and the identity of its possessor and in any case within a period of fifty years from the time of the theft. The Convention, for the first time, allows to return of illegally exported cultural objects to the country of origin. A contracting state may file an action for the return of illegally removed cultural property in the violation of its protective measures for the domestic cultural heritage. That action will also subject to same time limitation and a fair compensation.

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Cultural property , Cultural object , Recovery of cultural property , International convention.

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