US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI577

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UAE AUTHORITIES COLLABORATE WITH ABU DHABI TV TO BUST IPR VIOLATORS

Identifier: 04ABUDHABI577
Wikileaks: View 04ABUDHABI577 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Abu Dhabi
Created: 2004-03-06 06:51:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags: PREL KIPR ETRD TC
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
null
Diana T Fritz  03/15/2007 03:08:44 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM                                           March 06, 2004


To:       No Action Addressee                                    

Action:   Unknown                                                

From:     AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 577 - ROUTINE)          

TAGS:     PREL, ETRD, KIPR                                       

Captions: None                                                   

Subject:  UAE AUTHORITIES COLLABORATE WITH ABU DHABI TV TO BUST  
          IPR VIOLATORS                                          

Ref:      None                                                   
_________________________________________________________________
UNCLAS        ABU DHABI 00577

SIPDIS
CXABU:
    ACTION: ECON 
    INFO:   AMB DCM POL P/M 
Laser1:
    INFO:   FCS 

DISSEMINATION: ECON
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: DCM: ALBRIGHT
DRAFTED: ECON:CMCRUMPLER
CLEARED: ECON:JOHN

VZCZCADI320
RR RUEHC RUCNWTO RUCPDOC
DE RUEHAD #0577 0660651
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060651Z MAR 04
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3386
INFO RUCNWTO/WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000577 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPR AND EB/IPC FOR WILSON 
STATE PASS USTR - PECK AND BUNTIN 
STATE PASS LOC - STEPP 
USDOC FOR USPTO - URBAN, LASHLEY-JOHNSON 
USDOC FOR KSCHLEGELMILCH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: NA 
TAGS: PREL, KIPR, ETRD, TC 
SUBJECT:  UAE AUTHORITIES COLLABORATE WITH ABU DHABI TV TO 
BUST IPR VIOLATORS 
 
REFS: ABU DHABI 490 AND PREVIOUS 
 
1.  (U) The UAE Ministry of Information enlisted Abu Dhabi 
TV last week to film an undercover sting operation that 
seized dozens of CDs and copyrighted software at a computer 
store in Abu Dhabi.  The Ministry of Information conducted 
the raid -- touted as the first "camera ambush" in the Arab 
world -- after surveilling the shop for several weeks, and 
based on a tip-off from the Arabian Anti-Counterfeiting 
Alliance (AAA) that the company was dealing in pirated 
software. 
 
2.  (U) According to press reports, a representative of the 
Ministry's Censorship Department (equipped with a hidden 
microphone supplied by Abu Dhabi TV) entered the store 
pretending to be an ordinary customer.  Another Ministry 
official watched the shop attendant sell pirated software 
to the "customer," and then signaled to the camera team to 
enter the shop and record the incident.  Local police 
arrested the shop owner and seized PCs loaded with pirated 
software and several CDs of illegally copied software. 
 
3.  (U) Commenting on the raid, Chief Executive of AAA 
Scott Butler said, "This raid signifies the UAE's 
continuing campaign against violators of intellectual 
property rights and its resolve to track down distributors 
trading in pirated software as well as end-users breaking 
the law."   Under the Copyright Law of 2002, counterfeiters 
in the UAE face two to nine months imprisonment and a fine 
ranging from USD $2,700 to $55,000.  The penalty is doubled 
for repeat offenders according to the number of copyrights 
violated. 
 
4.  (SBU) Comment: The UAEG stands at the forefront of 
protecting intellectual property rights (IPR) in the region 
(see ref).  This report is further anecdotal evidence that 
the UAEG vigorously is enforcing copyright, trademark and 
patent laws passed in 2002 and even enlisting the local TV 
station to collect evidence against IPR violators to be 
used in court.  According to figures collected by the 
Business Software Alliance, the UAEG has trimmed the 
incidence of software piracy from 86 percent in 1994 to 36 
percent in 2002 -- the lowest in the region.  End comment. 
 
Wahba 

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