{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1852908,
        "msgid": "us-returns-two-8th-century-bronze-avalokiteshvara-statues-to-indonesia-1783695071",
        "date": "2026-07-10 21:18:00",
        "title": "US Returns Two 8th-Century Bronze Avalokiteshvara Statues to Indonesia",
        "author": "Putri Rosmalia",
        "source": "MEDIA_INDONESIA",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Legal",
        "summary": "The United States has officially repatriated two stolen 8th-century bronze statues of Buddha Avalokiteshvara to Indonesia. The artefacts, looted decades ago and trafficked by the late antiquities dealer Douglas Latchford, were handed over at a ceremony at the Indonesian Consulate General in New York. The return is part of ongoing efforts by US authorities to combat the illicit trade in looted cultural property.",
        "content": "<p>The United States Attorney\u2019s Office has officially announced the\nreturn of two historic bronze statues stolen from Indonesia. The\nrepatriation process for the antiquities was conducted through a formal\nceremony at the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) in\nNew York on Friday (10\/7).<\/p>\n<p>US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton,\nstated that the return was the result of close cooperation with US\nHomeland Security Investigations (HSI). This step is part of an ongoing\ncommitment to eradicate the illicit trade in looted artworks and\nantiquities.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018We will continue to work with HSI to stop irresponsible parties who\nseek to profit from historic works of art,\u2019 Clayton said in a press\nrelease from the US Embassy in Jakarta.<\/p>\n<p>The repatriated antiquities are two bronze statues of the Buddha\nAvalokiteshvara in a standing position. Dating from the 8th century, the\ntwo statues measure approximately 16 inches (40.64 cm) and 20 inches\n(50.8 cm) in height, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>According to civil forfeiture complaint documents in New York, the\ntwo objects were identified as \u2018Sculpture-12\u2019 and \u2018Sculpture-27\u2019 in the\ncase United States v. A Late 12th Century Bayon-Style Sandstone\nSculpture Depicting Eight-Armed Avalokiteshvara, et al.<\/p>\n<p>The investigation revealed that the statues were illegally taken from\nan archaeological site in Indonesia by looters several decades ago. The\nartefacts were subsequently sold to Douglas Latchford, an antiquities\ndealer based in Bangkok, Thailand.<\/p>\n<p>Between 2003 and 2007, Latchford sold the objects to a collector in\nthe United States, concealing the fact that they were stolen goods. In\nlate 2021, the collector voluntarily surrendered a total of 34 Southeast\nAsian antiquities purchased from Latchford, including the two statues\nfrom Indonesia.<\/p>\n<p>Douglas Latchford was indicted in 2019 for a years-long scheme to\nsell looted antiquities on the international market. However, the legal\nproceedings against him were terminated following his death.<\/p>\n<p>The US Attorney\u2019s Office commended the cooperative attitude of the\ncollector who voluntarily returned the objects so they could be sent\nback to their homeland. Since 2012, the US Attorney\u2019s Office for the\nSouthern District of New York, together with HSI, has successfully\nrepatriated dozens of stolen antiquities to their countries of\norigin.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-returns-two-8th-century-bronze-avalokiteshvara-statues-to-indonesia-1783695071",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}