(Phnom Penh): The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts announced that the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco has formally agreed to return 13 significant Khmer artifacts to Cambodia.

This milestone follows the unanimous vote of the Asian Art Commission on 24 September 2025, confirming the restitution of objects removed from Cambodia in violation of national laws, and supported by the findings of US Homeland Security Investigations, Cambodian researchers, and museum provenance teams.

The full group of returned masterpieces includes statues of deities, stone heads, a lion, and important carved architectural elements. Evidence reviewed by museum officials and investigators confirms that these objects were linked to networks associated with Douglas Latchford and were removed unlawfully during periods of civil war and instability.

Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeung Sackona welcomed the decision of the Asian Art Museum: “Each of these returned masterpieces is a living fragment of Cambodian identity. Their return represents not only the restoration of cultural memory, but the healing of wounds left by decades of conflict and heritage loss.”

The minister highlighted the importance of sharing provenance information: “The ministry especially applauds the Asian Art Museum for its full transparency in sharing its provenance research and documentation with Cambodia. This openness has been essential to our ability to uncover the truth about these artworks’ histories and to find justice in this case. When institutions share provenance information freely and in good faith, it greatly strengthens our efforts to restore Cambodia’s cultural heritage and return sacred objects to the communities to which they belong.”

The ministry expressed sincere appreciation to the Asian Art Museum and its City Attorney’s Office, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, and the Ministry’s teams of archaeologists, researchers, and provenance specialists, as well as international partners who supported the process.

Special thanks were also extended to Bradley J. Gordon of Edenbridge Asia and Melina Antoniadis of NOSTOS Strategies for their crucial role in negotiations and coordination leading to the successful restitution.
=FRESH NEWS