Jordan IPRs Protection Division Goes After DVD Pirates

AMMAN - A well-informed source at the Public Security Department (PSD)/ Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) Protection Division revealed to ag-IP-news Agency that the Division, in cooperation with the National Library, confiscated large numbers of pirated CDs and DVDs during a tour to down town Amman on Sunday, according to ag-IP-news Agency.

The source added that the seized items contain the latest release of Arab and foreign movies in addition to some pornographic movies that violate moral public ethics.

In an official statement released by the PSD, Major Mohammad Al Khatib stated also that the Division along with the Library managed to confiscate 25,000 counterfeit DVDs and CDs.

AL Khatib maintained that such campaigns come within the Division’s efforts to protect and enforce IPRs in the country.

The Major also uncovered that the Division in coordination with the Al Zarqa Preventative Security Division managed as well to seize pirated DVDs in addition to CD and DVD copying machines.

At the beginning of this month, the Director General of the National Library Mamoun Talhouni said that the number of copyright infringement cases referred to courts since the year 2000 till 2008 reached up to 2347, according to Ad-Dustour daily newspaper.

Talhouni noted that the violations included illegal copying of CDs, DVDs, books and software programs.

The Director General stated that the Library referred a total of 354 cases last year related to selling counterfeited DVDs in stores and kiosks located in different parts of the Kingdom.

In its efforts to effectively combat infringements on IPRs in Jordan, the PSD has taken the initiative on a regional level to establish the Division at the Directorate's Criminal Investigation Department.

To appropriately accomplish its mission, the Division cooperates with all the related-IP parties in the Kingdom such as the National Library, Jordan Customs and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.