JEDDAH: The Kingdom has been successful in implementing copyright laws, said an official from the Ministry of Culture and Information on Monday.
Abdul Rahman Al-Huzae, assistant Undersecretary for Domestic Media at the ministry, attributed the ministry’s success in implementing the laws to its diligent supervision of the market and the Kingdom’s entry points, and stringent punishments that act as a deterrent.
“The ministry has taken strong steps to guarantee that no material that violates intellectual property rights is brought into the Kingdom.
“Special teams monitor all land border crossings, airports and seaports to see that no CDs, videos, printed material or books that violate regulations are smuggled into the country,” said Al-Huzae.
“The teams also inspect markets and commercial centers for material that is in violation of the regulations,” he added. He also referred to raids in Jeddah and Riyadh last week in which officials seized huge quantities of material that is in violation of intellectual property rights. “The Kingdom’s efforts to protect intellectual rights have been commended by various circles in America and Europe,” Al-Huzae said, adding that the ministry also works in conjunction with related agencies and authorities abroad.
Al-Huzae, who heads an official committee that deals with violations in the domestic media, said the committee has not received any complaints from the two female journalists accused of colluding with Mazen Abdul Jawad in the controversial LBC program “Bold Red Line.”
Al-Huzae added that the matter will be looked in to once the case arrives before the committee. Another case currently being considered by the committee is the complaint of journalist Yasser Al-Maarik against a lifetime ban on practicing journalism, he added.
