(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 2 - The European Court of Human Rights
said Thursday that Italy has every right to demand the return of
a Greek bronze statue, the Victorious Athlete, attributed to
Lysippos that is currently in the Getty Villa Museum in Malibu,
California.
The court unanimously ruled to reject an appeal filed by the J.
Paul Getty Trust against the confiscation order issued by the
Italian authorities, saying there had been no violation of the
right to protection of property.
It said the Italian authorities acted with the purpose of
recovering an unlawfully exported piece of cultural heritage.
It said the confiscation order had been proportionate to the aim
of ensuring the return of an object that was part of Italy's
cultural heritage "owing to the Getty Trust's negligence or bad
faith in purchasing the statue despite being aware of the claims
of the Italian State and their efforts to recover it". (ANSA).