‘British Museum Is World’s Largest Receiver Of Stolen Property,’ Says Leading Human Rights Lawyer

Riyaz Patel

Leading human rights lawyer, author and academic Geoffrey Robertson QC, has accused the trustees of the British Museum of being the “world’s largest receivers of stolen property.”

And what is even more scandalous, a “great majority of their loot is not even on public display,” he added.

Robertson, who holds dual Australian and British citizenship, has recently published a new book: ‘Who Owns History? Elgin’s Loot and the Case for Returning Plundered Treasure.

In an opinion piece published by The Australian, he charges: “No less than 90 percent of African heritage, for example, resides in European museums, while the British Museum refuses to return to Greece one half of the Parthenon Marbles – the world’s greatest extant treasure – and meanly clings to objects of iconic significance to our own indigenous people.

“It’s time for their return: no longer can once-great powers get away with mealy-mouthed words of