UK Government Issues Warning to Art and Antiques Industry over Iraqi Objects

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The Antiques Trade Gazette has a piece on this the warning issued to the art and antiques industry by Her Majesty’s Government concerning the sale of war trophies and cultural property removed from Iraq ('Whitehall issues sanctions warning following Saddam ‘statue’ sale', 05 March 2012):

The government has issued a warning to the art and antiques industry over the sale of war trophies [...]. Those in breach could face up to seven years in jail. Statutory Instrument 2003 No.1519 UNITED NATIONS The Iraq (United Nations Sanctions) Order 2003 restricts the trade in such cultural goods because UN sanctions are still in force "as a continuation of efforts contributing to the maintenance of security and stability in Iraq", says the ministry of culture.

"Please note it is your responsibility to ensure that your activities do not breach these sanctions," it advises the industry through the British Art Market Federation. "If you wish to deal in Iraqi cultural property you are advised to look at the UKTI, BIS and HM Treasury websites. If there is any uncertainty you are advised to seek independent legal advice to ensure you do not breach sanctions. It is a criminal offence to breach these sanctions and carries a penalty of up to seven years imprisonment and/or a fine." [...] Auctioneers and dealers are also regulated by the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003, which makes it an offence for any person to dishonestly deal in a cultural object that is tainted (within the meaning of the 2003 Act), knowing or believing that the object is tainted. The offence set out in the Act complements the UK's obligations under the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, which the UK ratified in 2002.

What is so galling is that such a reminder is necessary in the first place, do British dealers too have so little regard for the laws governing the movement of cultural property that they need to be 'informed' nine years after the event that such laws exist?