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U.S. Asks Court Not to Sanction Russian Defendants in Chabad Library Case—What Now?

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on September 5, 2012 at 1:14 PM

Casting further doubt on the practical possibility of using the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) to recover cultural artifacts, the U.S. Government has at long last weighed in on the Chabad plaintiffs’ request for contempt sanctions against the Russian defendants, defendants who have defied for more than two years a judgment to return the library of the late Menachem Schneerson. Rightly or wrongly, this is another example of the waning utility of the FSIA to seek restitution of works held abroad, and does not bode well for the ongoing embargo by Russian museums against cultural artifact loans to the United States.

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Topics: Russian art embargo, Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, Menachem Scnheerson, FSIA, Restitution, World War II, Foreign Sovereign Immunities, Chabad, Art Law Report

Russian Art Embargo News: Chabad Negotiations Over Russian Library Fail, Renewed Request for Contempt Sought

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on March 7, 2012 at 4:38 AM

After months of inactivity and intimations of a possible settlement, the Chabad plaintiffs seeking the return of the Schneerson library have had enough, and have renewed their request to the District Court to sanction the defendants who have not complied with prior orders to return the library.

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Topics: Alexander Avdeyev, Russian art embargo, sanctions, Foreign Sovereign Immunities Acts, Menachem Scnheerson, Collections, FSIA, Restitution, World War II, Foreign Sovereign Immunities, contempt, Chabad

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About the Blog


The Art Law Report provides timely updates and commentary on legal issues in the museum and visual arts communities. It is authored by Nicholas M. O'Donnell, partner in our Art & Museum Law Practice.

The material on this site is for general information only and is not legal advice. No liability is accepted for any loss or damage which may result from reliance on it. Always consult a qualified lawyer about a specific legal problem.

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