Copyright bill passed; violators face fines of up to MVR 300,000
The bill to amend the Copyright Law was accepted by parliament on July 9
A sitting of the People's Majlis 20th assembly
The Copyright Bill, which stipulates fines of up to MVR 300,000 for violations, has been greenlighted.
The bill was proposed by MP for Nilandhoo constituency Fathimath Saudha on behalf of the government.
The bill was passed unanimously by 82 lawmakers who participated in the vote on Monday.
The bill includes provisions for fines ranging from MVR 50,000 to MVR 300,000, depending on the severity of the offense, as punishment for infringing on rights protected under the Copyright Law.
According to the bill, it is prohibited to sell, rent, or make available to the public an original or copy of a creation without the permission of the copyright owner in any way.
On Monday, the People’s Majlis debated the report on the completion of the bill's review.
The bill was passed unanimously by 57 lawmakers who participated in the vote.
According to the bill, protection under the Copyright Law is not based on the presentation, content, quality, or purpose of the creation.
In addition to this, a new item has been added to the article in the law defining original literary works, original musical works, and original artistic works to include audiovisual works. Further, the bill includes audio recordings, and broadcasts via satellite, internet, and cable.
The bill to amend the Copyright Law was accepted by parliament on July 9.
