Rare Yemeni Antiquities Held in Swiss Legal Dispute Amidst Apparent Yemeni Inaction

Two rare ancient statues, believed to originate from ancient Yemen, remain under judicial detention in Switzerland as a legal case initiated in 2016 continues its proceedings, with judicial procedures extending until 2026.

According to Swiss court documents, the statues, identified by numbers ST.FIG.047 and ST.FIG.048, depict a male and a female figure in an offering posture, respectively. They are dated between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD. An expert report prepared in 2022 confirmed the female statue as authentic and unique, describing it as an irreplaceable historical artifact of its era. Significant similarities between the two pieces suggest they originate from the same archaeological context.

The case stems from Swiss customs investigations that began in 2016 and 2017, involving thousands of items stored in warehouses in Geneva. In 2023, authorities reopened the case concerning the statues after an attempt was made to remove the female statue from the free zone, leading to a confiscation order by the public prosecutor's office. Although the Geneva cantonal court dismissed the case in November 2024 on procedural grounds, the Court of Justice overturned this decision in June 2025, maintaining the statues' detention. An appeal was subsequently lodged with the Swiss Federal Court in July of the same year.

Independent researcher Abdullah Mohsen, who monitors Yemeni antiquities, noted that published judicial rulings do not indicate the presence of any legal representation for the Republic of Yemen, nor any legal memorandum or expert report submitted by a Yemeni entity in this case. He urged the Yemeni embassy and relevant authorities to clarify whether any unannounced legal or diplomatic actions have been undertaken.

Mohsen explained that Yemen's absence from the lawsuit's parties does not necessarily imply a lack of undisclosed communications but raises questions about the level of engagement by Yemeni authorities in tracking the fate of these two artifacts. This situation arises amid growing concerns over the smuggling of Yemeni antiquities abroad, with other Swiss documents revealing previously seized Yemeni artifacts in Geneva.

The final disposition of the statues awaits the conclusion of the judicial process. There are calls for the relevant Yemeni authorities to take proactive steps to protect antiquities attributed to the country and to pursue their repatriation should their illicit export from Yemen be confirmed.