29-03-2025
Egypt's law punishes climbing antiquities by 1 month in prison, fine of LE 100K
Giza Pyramids - file
CAIRO - 29 March 2025: Antiquities Protection Law No. 117 of 1983 warns against climbing antiquities or being present at archaeological sites without a permit, and it imposes several penalties on violators.
According to Article 45 bis of the Antiquities Protection Law, amended by Law No. 20 of 2020, anyone found at an archaeological site or museum without a permit, or anyone climbing an antiquity without a permit, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of no less than one month and a fine of no less than ten thousand Egyptian pounds and no more than one hundred thousand Egyptian pounds, or by one of these two penalties.
Article 45 bis of the Antiquities Protection Law stipulates that the penalty shall be doubled if the aforementioned acts are accompanied by an act contrary to public morals.
Article 53 stipulates, without prejudice to any more severe penalty stipulated in any other law, that anyone who persistently and unwillingly harassed tourists and visitors while they were at archaeological sites or museums with the intent of begging or promoting, displaying or selling a commodity or service for his own benefit or for the benefit of others shall be punished with a fine of not less than three thousand pounds and not more than ten thousand pounds.
