Kuznetsov V. Criminal law protection of cultural property: national lawmaking and European experience

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33098/2078-6670.2025.19.31.351-360

Objective. The aim of the study is to analyze the state of implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property in national criminal legislation. Methodology. The methodology includes the analysis of individual scientific works, provisions of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the draft law and the Nicosia Convention, synthesis of scientific knowledge and drawing of reasonable conclusions on the subject of the study. The following methods of scientific cognition were used in the study: analysis, synthesis, formal and dogmatic, comparative legal, systemic, logical and semantic, and systemic and structural. Results. In the course of the study, it was recognized that the improvement of legislation on the protection of cultural property should be guided by the provisions of the Nicosia Convention. The analysis of the draft law «On Amendments to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses and the Criminal Code of Ukraine in connection with the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Offenses relating to Cultural Property» of December 12, 2024, No. 12310, allowed to establish its constructive and terminological flaws and inconsistency with the provisions of the Nicosia Convention. It is proposed to use the universal term «cultural property» in the process of improving Ukrainian criminal legislation. The author substantiates the need to harmonise the content of the term ‘cultural property’ with the Nicosia Convention and suggests that the term «cultural heritage object» should be clarified in the Law of Ukraine «On Protection of Cultural Heritage» of 8 June 2000.Originality. The study established that when updating criminal legislation on the protection of cultural property, one should be guided not only by the provisions of the Nicosia Convention, but also by the ongoing developments in the doctrine of criminal law. It is established that the draft law № 12310 and the Nicosia Convention do not take into account the current Russian aggression against Ukraine. Practical significance. The results of the study can be used in law-making activities in the course of improving national legislation in the field of protection of cultural property.

Key words: documents of the National Archival Fund, draft law, criminal legislation, convention, cultural property, cultural heritage object, lawmaking, subject of criminal offense.

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