Recently, according to foreign media reports, a British tourist picked up a piece of "rubble" as a travel commemoration while traveling in Iraq, and was stopped and arrested by airport staff when leaving the country, and the case will be heard on May 7, local time.
Jim, a Native of The British who currently lives in Malaysia, is a former geologist who has a habit of bringing home local rubble as a souvenir every time he travels.
(Jim photo)
Not long ago, Jim reported a tour group to visit Iraq, during which he visited many places of interest, one of which was Eridu, an ancient relic in southern Iraq.
During the visit, Jim found that there were many stones and pottery fragments scattered on the ground, so he picked up a few pieces by hand, and the tour leader said that these were some worthless and historical things, which could be picked up or taken away. So Jim took a few pieces of rubble with him and prepared them as souvenirs of the trip.
(Jim and his family)
Unexpectedly, when he was about to board the plane, Jim was stopped by airport security, saying that the rubble he was carrying in his bag was an ancient artifact, and suspected that Jim was suspected of smuggling cultural relics and arrested him.
It was alleged that, under article 41 of Iraq's Antiquities Act, he was liable to the death penalty for such acts.
(Iraqi artifact piles)
Knowing this, Jim's children were very anxious, saying that their father could not have deliberately taken the relics, and they also argued that the ancient ruins were open-air, unattended, and there was no warning sign that "it is forbidden to take anything".
On May 7, local time, Jim's case was about to go to trial, the time was urgent, and his children could only post this matter online, calling on netizens to pay attention to the case and petitioning for his father.
(Jim's family posted a message on foreign social media for him)
It is reported that the case has attracted the attention of the British government, and the staff of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that they have contacted the Local Government Department of Iraq and also conveyed the idea that Jim will not be sentenced to death, saying that Jim is innocent.
(Jim with family)
But some foreign netizens believe that Jim deserves it: "The state has the national law, the family has family rules", if everyone takes a cultural relic from the scene, then there is nothing at the scene, not to mention jim is a geologist, he should know how valuable this "piece of rubble" is.
Nine Pai News intern reporter Hong Zhixuan