BSA honours Director General of Department of National Library in Jordan for his role in IPR protection

"The steadfast commitment shown by the National Library under the guidance of Mr. Talhouni to bring down piracy rates in Jordan is certainly reaping rich rewards. There is evidence of steadily increasing awareness in Jordan among traders and users of software to use only original versions, and this is a result of the sustained efforts by the National Library in co-operation with law enforcement authorities in Jordan to protect IPR. We are pleased to recognise the contributions of Mr. Talhouni and we are certain that he and his team will continue the excellent work they have been doing in curbing piracy in the Kingdom of Jordan," said Mike Hawkes.

Commenting on the award from BSA, Mamoun Talhouni said, "It is definitely an honour for the National Library to be recognised by BSA for our efforts in combating the menace of piracy. However, anti-piracy campaigns require continuous and sustained efforts to achieve reduction of piracy rates in the country especially in the wake of increased IT penetration in the Kingdom. We take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the Jordanian law enforcement authorities who have extended all the needed support for our anti-piracy campaign. We are focused on stepping up our efforts in the months ahead in a bid to raise awareness among individual and corporate users of software on the importance of using genuine software."

The Jordanian government is seeking to develop the country's IT and communication sectors and has enacted laws to ensure protection of Intellectual Property Rights. Jordan's drive against software piracy, which has the direct backing of King Abdullah Bin Al Hussein, has earned widespread appreciation for its effectiveness and impact.

"The strict enforcement of IPR laws is crucial to curb the trade and use of pirated software, and authorities in Jordan have made a commendable effort in ensuring maximum adherence to IPR and copyright laws. The National Library dealt with over 1,200 copyright infringement cases in the last five years, which is a reflection of how active it has been in tackling piracy in the country," said Tawfiq Tabbaa, BSA Legal Counsel in Jordan.