The Giza Criminal Court will hold, on Saturday, the first trial sessions of the defendants in the case of smuggling major antiquities, involving former parliamentarian Alaa Hassanein and financed by the famous businessman Hassan Ratib, and 21 other defendants.
The report of the examination committee, whose formation included specialized members from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Supreme Council of Antiquities, mentioned the archaeological and counterfeit items included in the case. Prehistoric, Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, and Islamic) all of which date back to the ancient Egyptian civilization and are subject to the Antiquities Protection Law and its amendments.
The seized artifacts included 4 counterfeit, newly made, and non-antique items that came under items from item 44 to item 47.
By examining the video clips and images seen on the phones of the defendants, it was found that the excavation was intended to excavate antiquities, and in those pictures and clips some counterfeit and non-archaeological pieces appeared.
The report stated that the members of the committee moved to inspect the excavation site on the ground, and it was found that all excavation operations are all located within the area of Ezbet Khairallah, an area subject to the Antiquities Protection Law, and that the excavations in this area and the seized tools are for the purpose of excavating antiquities.
Investigations by the Public Prosecution established that all of the defendants participated in excavating 4 sites for antiquities excavation. This hole is regarding a meter in length and regarding 10 meters deep.
The investigations added that the second excavation was at the top of the same mountainous hill as previously mentioned, which is a pit with a diameter of one and a half meters, with a ladder of ropes inside it. The fourth in Ezbet Khair Allah is an internal excavation in a demolished apartment building, regarding a meter and a half in diameter.
The report revealed that the seizures are numerous and varied, and they were limited to 47 items according to the evidence in the committee’s report. All seizures contained in items from the first to the forty-third are antiquities belonging to different prehistoric, Pharaonic, Greek, Roman and Islamic eras, all of which date back to the ancient Egyptian civilization, and are subject to the Antiquities Protection Law. And his amendments, and he added that by examining the videos and photos seized from the phones of the accused, it was found that they were intended to excavate antiquities.
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