Scythian gold case: Dutch court to deliver judgment on October 26

The Amsterdam Court of Appeal, which is hearing the Scythian gold collection case on the merits, is due to deliver its judgment on October 26.

Ukrinform correspondent in The Hague reports this with reference to the Court's website.

"The Amsterdam Court of Appeal will deliver judgment in the case over collection's belonging on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, at 11:00 local time," the statement reads.

It is noted that the judgment will be read out at an open court session.

After that, the ruling and the press release will be published on the official website of the Court.

As reported, on April 22, 2021, the final debate of the parties was held at the Amsterdam Court of Appeal.

On October 28, 2020, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal granted Ukraine's motion to disqualify a judge in the Scythian gold case due to confirmation of the presiding judge's link with the lawyers of Crimean museums which could indicate his bias.

The collection of Scythian gold had been delivered to the Allard Pearson Museum in Amsterdam as part of the exhibition entitled “Crimea – the Gold and Secrets of the Black Sea” prior to the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.

On December 14, 2016, the Amsterdam District Court ruled that the exhibits of the Crimean museums had to be returned to Ukraine. The judgment was delivered pursuant to the UNESCO convention, according to which the art treasures should be returned to a sovereign state, which provided them for a temporary exhibition.

On March 28, 2017, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal received an appeal against the ruling from the representatives of Crimean museums.

Currently, the Scythian gold collection is kept in the Allard Pearson Museum in Amsterdam.

ol