Workshop: Evidence for Prosecuting Cultural Heritage Destruction
February 7, 2024
About this Event
The Center for Art with Hon. Judge Gassia Apkarian discussed the intricacies of evidence gathering in cases involving cultural heritage. The session provided a critical discourse addressing the challenges and issues arising from the destruction of cultural heritage when filing claims in international courts.
Judge Apkarian, with her vast expertise, delved into the meticulous process of collecting evidence crucial for cultural heritage cases. and shed light to understand the unique challenges posed by the destruction of cultural heritage. The session also examined case examples of cultural heritage destruction in Armenia and provided crucial insights into issues of accurate evidence, training investigators and lawyers to think about practical methods to collect evidence when the property is destroyed. The program also focused on how to document the destruction in real-time as evidence gathering takes place, ensuring a comprehensive and resilient approach to preserving cultural heritage in the face of adversity.
About the Speaker
The Hon. Gassia Apkarian is a judge on the Superior Court of Orange County in California. She was appointed by former governor Jerry Brown on November 12, 2014, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Francisco F. Firmat.
She attended the University of California, Irvine, where she received a B.A. in political science. She then earned a J.D. from the University of La Verne College of Law. After graduating from law school and passing the California Bar Exam, Apkarian pursued a career in international development. From 1992 to 1995, she worked as an Executive Director for the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA). This position required her to liaise with high-ranking members of the Armenian government and the United States government, lobbying to secure foreign aid to Armenia. She then briefly worked as a Special Assistant to the Ambassador of Armenia, the Executive Director of Democrats 2000, and the Public Relations Advisor for the President of Armenia.
In 2000 Apkarian returned to Orange County, beginning her legal career as a Deputy Public Defender with the Office of the Public Defender of Orange County. Eight years later, she established her own law firm, Apkarian Defense. Here, she worked as a criminal defense attorney, specializing in cases involving sex offenses, DUIs, and theft charges. Apkarian was born in Aleppo, Syria and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. She was six years old when the civil war in Lebanon began. She traveled back and forth between Lebanon and the United States, eventually settling in Irvine.
Handouts and Reading Material
Read the handouts HERE.
Recording of the Lecture
Watch the recording HERE.
