Saudi implements several anti-piracy measures

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture and Information (MoCI) has started implementing a number of major anti-piracy measures. The move is part of the government's efforts to make the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a regional leader in initiating anti-piracy laws.

The MoCI has launched a public website – https://www.info.gov.sa/info/copyrights/followup.aspx – on which critical information on copyright anti-piracy cases will be posted. The Kingdom is the first country in the region that has implemented such a transparency initiative.

Eric Smith, President, International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), who met with Saudi Minister of Culture and Information, Iyad bin Ameen Madani, last March, praised the minister's actions: "We commend the KSA Government and the minister for taking this historic step forward in the fight against piracy in the Kingdom. The establishment of a MoCI public website, bolstered by a reformed and more effective Violations Review Committee within the Ministry demonstrates the creativity and commitment of the KSA Government, and the Ministry in particular, in finding new and effective ways to fight this growing social and economic threat. We are hopeful this new transparency will lead to deterrent fines and penalties for shops and street vendors dealing in pirate products, and imprisonment in serious piracy cases, to bring the much needed deterrence into the Kingdom's enforcement system.

In 2006, Saudi committed to a tougher stance against intellectual property rights (IPR) violations in meetings with the US Government and with IIPA. Unfortunately, several criminal elements continued to take advantage of the Kingdom's strong commercial growth, which has led to the proliferation of sales of pirated materials causing severe damage to legitimate Saudi industries.

This year, the government is working with the IIPA to focus on completing the transparency process, on deterrent enforcement, the legal use of copyrighted software in government enterprises as well as copyright law reforms.

Scot Butler, CEO, Arabian Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAA), said: "Piracy compromises economic growth and innovation. It also violates the law, causes substantial businesses losses and victimises consumers. These criminal acts tarnish the Kingdom's image around the world."

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