UAE reconfirms commitment to copyright

The computers were found loaded with illegal copies of Microsoft Windows 98, Office 97, Office 2000 and Symantec Norton Anti Virus 2001.

This action is part of a campaign that has been ongoing for years on behalf of the Sharjah authorities to eradicate the sale and usage of illegal software in the Emirate.

"The action against this company was carried out at a breathtaking speed," commented Scott Butler, chief executive officer of the Arabian Anti piracy Alliance, an organization dedicated to fighting infringements of copyright and trademark laws in the region. "No sooner had the authorities verified the information about this company's illicit software usage, that they took immediate action against it, which proves yet again the UAE's firm intent to remain the regional leader in terms of copyright protection in all its forms"

Several awareness campaigns have been conducted in the United Arab Emirates to inform companies about software usage policies, where, unless otherwise specified, every piece of software should be licensed for use on every computer. Thus, it is illegal for a company to purchase one software package and install it on more than one computer without a license from the manufacturer.

"We congratulate the Ministry of Information in Sharjah about this new achievement", added Butler, "and we invite all companies to ensure that their software usage policies are attuned to the country's copyright laws"

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