Russian Ministry Says Dutch Court's Ruling on Scythian Gold Violates Int'l Law

The ruling by a Dutch court to give Scythian gold to Ukraine violates international law and the principles of inter-museum exchanges, the items should be returned to Crimea where they had been discovered and kept for decades, the Russian Culture Ministry said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — An Amsterdam court decided on Wednesday to give disputed collection of Scythian gold to Ukraine, not to Crimea where it was kept before the peninsula’s reunification with Russia.

"Unfortunately, the decision is an example of violation of the rights of cultural institutions and destruction of the unity of museum collections. It contradicts not only the provisions of the contracts, but also grossly violates the principles of international inter-museum exchanges and the right of the Crimean people to access their own cultural heritage," the Russian ministry said.

The collection of the Scythian gold which is a part of the "Crimea. Gold and Secrets of the Black Sea" exhibition was brought to the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam in early February 2014. The collection was provided by five museums, one in Kiev and four in Crimea. The dispute about the exhibition arose after Crimea reunified with Russia following a referendum in 2014.