CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY IN THE EVENT OF ARMED CONFLICT IS PUBLISHED IN TURKMEN LANGUAGE

The Ministry of Justice hosted the presentation of the collection published in Turkmen language, which includes the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and two 1954 and 1999 Protocols to it. 

Deputies of the Mejlis, representatives of ministries and departments, students of the Academy of Government Service under the President of Turkmenistan, experts of International Committee of Red Cross, specialist of National Red Crescent Society, working groups for implementation of international humanitarian law, tutors and students as well as representatives of mass media took part in the event organized by the MFA and the Institute of the State, Law and Democracy of Turkmenistan. 

The Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict was adopted by the initiative of the UNESCO in Hague (Netherlands) on May 14, 1954 against the re-occurrence of massive destruction of cultural heritage objects during the World War II. 

Representatives of International Committee of the Red Crescent organization who made speeches at the meeting noted active work of Turkmenistan for implementation of international humanitarian law to national legislation. 

The participants of the presentation highlighted that the country takes systematic measures in the sphere of humanitarian law. This event is the part of this process. As is known, being committed to its international obligations, Turkmenistan adopted number of special laws aimed at protection of historical and cultural heritage. 

Number of laws aimed at protection of cultural values as the Law on Culture (2010), the Law on Protection of Objects of National Historical and Cultural Heritage (2012), the Law on Protection, Export and Import of Movable Properties of National Historical and Cultural Heritage (2016), the Law on Library Activity (2017), the Law on Museums and Museum Activity (2017) has been adopted for the years of independence. In November 2017, the Mejlis of Turkmenistan adopted the Resolution on Accession to the Convention on Protection of Cultural Values in the event of Armed Conflicts as well as to 1954 and 1999 Protocols. 

The Convention contains the complex of measures for protection of movable and non-movable cultural objects. Article 4 of the Convention and Article 6 f 1999 Protocol include the provisions that members states committed to respect cultural values and refrain from hostile acts against such values. 

According to the Provisions of the treaty in the sphere of international law, the accountability for their implementation including in the sphere of protection of cultural values is laid upon the states. 

Turkmenistan is the member of the Convention for Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the UNESCO Convention on Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, the Convention for Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and 1954 and 1999 Protocols. The work for implementation of their standards to national legislation is continued.