2023-10-27 11:01:59
A couple from Antwerp explains our colleagues at the VRT, has been stuck in Turkey since mid-September because he wanted to bring three stones back to Belgium following a week of vacation. According to several media, the couple’s wife can return home, an Antalya judge decided on Friday.
The Antwerp woman had been blocked at Antalya airport with three “stolen stones” in her suitcase. During all this time, she was therefore unable to leave Turkey. Turkish media report that experts have meanwhile concluded that the stones were in fact archaeological artifacts, protected by law.
Once she has received the official documents (a formality, according to her mother), the Antwerp resident will be able to board a plane to return to Belgium. She is therefore not obliged to appear at the hearing where the final verdict will be rendered on November 16.
Turkish law regarding the protection of cultural and natural wealth is harsh once morest those who attempt to remove objects of archaeological value from the country. Foreign Affairs website warns it is strictly prohibited “to export from Turkey antiques, minerals and objects found there (such as stones for example), even if the latter do not present any cultural or historical value“.
According to Turkish media, the woman risks a fine of 18,000 Turkish liras, or 624.5 euros, as well as a prison sentence of one to five years.
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