Egypt reduces jail terms in Van Gogh theft case

The Dutch masterpiece, valued at more than 50 million dollars (36.1 million euros), was cut out of its frame and is still missing.
Mohsen Shalaan, the former head of the ministry of culture's fine arts sector, was sentenced Thursday to one year in prison, and four others to six months, while six other defendants were acquitted after they appealed against earlier sentences. Those facing jail have been convicted of negligence.
At a trial in October, all the 11 people had been sentenced to three years in prison.
The investigation in the case found that of the 47 CCTV cameras, 30 were not working from 2006 and that in most cases a single guard was deployed at the museum.
The brazen daylight theft had highlighted the poor security conditions in many Egyptian museums, which house priceless treasures, including those from the Pharaonic era, like the famous gold mask of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
The Egyptian government had then promised to initiate a major effort to improve and upgrade surveillance systems.
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