The world's toughest ivory law enacted by the UK would face a judicial review at the High Court on Wednesday.

The UK Ivory Act, which received Royal Assent in December 2018, bans international and domestic trade in ivory, to curb the brutal killings of African elephants. The global ivory trade is linked to the poaching of more than 20,000 elephants every year in African countries, pushing the iconic animal to the brink of extinction.

In order to control the illegal trade in ivory, the UK, the U.S., Singapore, China and its regions of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, and many other countries shut down their domestic market dealing with the product.

The governments' move to phase out the trade comes after the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) — a global wildlife regulator — banned import and export of both raw and carved pieces of elephant tusk. The regulator also urged governments to close the ivory market in their respective countries.

With CITES banning the international trade in ivory pieces procured after 1947 coupled with the UK Ivory Act that was likely to be enforced by the end of this year, the antique dealers fear a major financial loss.

The judicial review of the UK Ivory Act sought by Friends of Antique Cultural Treasures (FACT), an antiques lobby group, states that the ban infringes upon antiques dealers' human rights by not letting them buy or sell ivory.

The British Antique Dealers' Association (BADA) argues that most of the antique ivory pieces found in the UK today are made from or incorporating elements of ivory that were created many years ago or much before 1947.

"These historical items are not derived from recently poached ivory," said BADA members, claiming that the ivory pieces sold by their members have no link with poaching of African elephants.

However, John Stephenson, CEO of Stop Ivory, believes any legal trade in ivory provides cover for the illegal trade because it is difficult to distinguish between antique and newly carved ivory.

"Moreover, it fuels a continued demand for ivory by perpetuating its perceived value in the eyes of consumers and making it a socially acceptable commodity," Stephenson said in a press statement issued on Tuesday.

An analysis by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) released in 2017 found that the UK is the largest exporter of legal ivory that is massively fueling consumer demand for the product.

"We're extremely concerned about attempts by British antique dealers to have the UK ban quashed," said EIA Executive Director Mary Rice.