The Minister of Antiquities, Mohamed Ibrahim, announced that the ministry is preparing a detailed report with photos on the current state of the Mallawi Museum in Al-Minya governorate, after the attack, sacking and looting that took place this week.
The attack left the museum building completely destroyed and most of the 1089 artefacts were stolen; those left behind were severely damaged in the fire that was set to the building later that night.
The report will be sent to Egypt’s permanent delegate to UNESCO, Mohamed Sameh, in order to facilitate making the necessary connections with the cultural sector of the organisation and to the experts involved in the UNESCO 1970 agreement concerning attacking, stealing and smuggling of cultural properties.
The report hopes to help explain to the world the crimes committed and the direct results on Egyptian antiquities, as well as numerous religious and historical buildings in different governorates.
The minister also announced that another detailed report including photos of the stolen artefacts would be sent to the International Council of Museums (ICOM) to ensure all pieces be put on the “red” list as soon as possible. He explained that this list aims at helping customs officials and police officers to identify the stolen Egyptian artefacts, which are protected by national legislation.
The list actively discourages museums, auction houses, traders and collectors to accept any of the stolen objects, because the data on the list will be shared with international auction houses, museums and galleries that deal with Egyptian antiquities to prohibit the sale of the stolen artefacts through Interpol and custom officers.
