Fier Prosecution Office has charged and referred to trial Sh.K. and P.P. for the criminal offense of ‘Trafficking of works of art and culture,’ as stipulated in Article 138/a, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code.

Fier Prosecution Office referred criminal case No. 1926 of 2023 to trial after special investigative methods confirmed that defendant P.P., on December 18, 2023, sold objects of cultural property to undercover agents, without the necessary license from the Minister of Economy, Culture, and Innovation (the authority responsible for cultural heritage), in violation of the provisions outlined in Article 116 of Law No. 27/2018, as amended.

 The defendant P.P., while carrying out this illegal activity, was assisted by the other defendant, Sh.K. Several cultural property items were seized from defendant P.P., including:

•    Rifle/Revolver – Dating back to the 18th- 19th century, this item features floral decorations.
•    Icon “The Nativity of Christ” – Characteristically belonging to the final phase of post-Byzantine art.
•    Portrait “Eros” – This white marble sculpture depicts the head of a child, with the most notable detail being the finely sculpted hair.
•    Epitaph “The Lamentation of the Deceased” – Made of fabric and embroidery, with the figures of saints rendered in metal.

Fier District Court, at the end of the trial, found defendants P.P. and Sh.K. guilty.

Fier Prosecution Office reiterates its commitment to thoroughly investigate and ensure the legal accountability of people involved in criminal offenses against property and cultural heritage.