La protección de los bienes culturales y el desarrollo del derecho penal internacional

The protection of cultural heritage is a complex task in the context of armed conflict situations. International treaties provide obligations for States in time of peace to provide protection of cultural artefacts and heritage. The history of armed conflicts shows that on many occasions the belligerent parties disregard the protection of cultural heritage. During several recent armed conflicts, relevant cultural sites and buildings were deliberately targeted and destroyed. This article provides an overview of the international protection of cultural heritage in the context of international law. Then, by looking at recent developments of case law, it considers the evolution that international criminal law can provide to punish those responsible for the destruction and targeting of cultural heritage.