You May Face Deportation for Copyright Infringement in UAE

Most of us are usually misguided by the fact that the data available online is not secured by copyright and in this manner can be utilized unreservedly. This isn’t accurate. Copyright law applies to online material similarly as it does to disconnected material, till the essentials for copyright security are met. In this way, in the event that you use another person’s work, you could be subject to what is designated "copyright infringement."

Copyright being the selective right of the proprietor to abuse the work through distribution, broadcasting, printing, making duplicates and so forth., any such demonstration done by an individual who isn’t the proprietor of the copyright and has not been doled out the copyright in a given work by the proprietor of the rights or without the composed approval from the copyright proprietor add up to copyright encroachment and will be at risk to the proprietor of the copyright to accommodate harms that proprietor endures because of the said encroachment of his copyright. The UAE law with respect to copyright and its related rights (Federal law no. 7 of 2002) (hereinafter alluded to as ‘the law’) manage the different manners by which copyright infringement may occur and has given to punishments for them.

Article 38 of the Copyright Law states that any individual, who performs out any of the following demonstrations without earlier assent of the creator or neighboring right holder, will be punished by detainment for at the very least three months and a fine at least AED 50,000 and not more than AED 500,000: Unlawful creating or bringing in to sell, leasing, or managing in any gadgets, instrument, or device structured or arranged with the end goal of misrepresentation against any procedure utilized by the creator or right holder to communicate, offer for open, oversee, or deal with the copyrighted work or keep up the characteristics of the copyrighted work). Wherein, under Article 121 of the Federal Law number 3 of 1987 (Penal Code), UAE courts have the right to deport the foreign national for any misdemeanor or felony cases.

The Copyright Law highlights the following activities, which can be considered as copyright infringement under any circumstances, except the accused have sought prior consent:

Intruding one of the moral or monetary privileges of the creator of the holder of the related rights accommodated in this Law, which additionally incorporates the distribution of any work, execution, recording, or communicating that has sought protection under the law.

The undue production or import, with the end goal of the offer, rental or dissemination, any falsified work or duplicates thereof, any mechanical assemblies, hardware, gadgets or materials extraordinarily planned or arranged for cheating insurance or innovation utilized by the creator or holder of related appropriate for transmitting, offering for flow, directing or overseeing such rights.

The downloading or saving in the computer any duplicate of the computer program or applications thereof or databases, without getting a permit from the creator or right holder or his heirs.

The foregoing are few activities which will be considered as copyright infringement under the law and will be accordingly punished by way of imprisonment or fine along with deportation, if ordered by the court, depending upon the seriousness of the offense and other related factors.

Dr. Hassan Elhais is a legal consultant in Dubai, specializing in the drafting of all statements of claim, memos and consultation on litigation of all manner.