Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad approved a law Tuesday, February 27, making intellectual piracy punishable by up to two years in jail.
The official SANA agency said the prison sentences were part of new legislation to protect royalties in Syria, where piracy is widespread.
The law will protect "the rights of creators in all sectors: literature, science and arts". Those who receive, resell, distribute or bring into the country items which do not respect royalties risk prison terms ranging from three months to two years and/or a minimum fine of 100,000 Syrian pounds ($2,000), the law says.
The Syrian market for illegal copies of audio and video documents, as well as software and satellite decoders is estimated at tens of millions of dollars. — (AFP, Damascus)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
