WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION 
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE 
ORGANIZACION MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights IPIN/IIBIIRIC/l 
21 July 2000 
(00-3030) 
Original: English! 
anglaisl 
ingles 
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 
LAWS AND REGULATIONS NOTIFIED UNDER 
ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
BAHRAIN 
The present document reproduces the text! of Legislative Decree N° 10 of 1993 with respect 
to Copyright Law, as notified by Bahrain under Article 63.2 of the Agreement (see document 
IP /N/IIBHR/3). 
Conseil des aspects des droits de propriete 
intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce 
PRINCIPALES LOIS ET REGLEMENTATIONS CONSACREES A LA 
PROPRIETE INTELLECTUELLE NOTIFIEES AU TITRE 
DE L'ARTICLE 63:2 DE L'ACCORD 
BAHREIN 
Le present document contient Ie texte! du Decret legislatif nO lOde 1993 relatif a la Loi sur Ie 
droit d'auteur, notifie par Bahrein au titre de l'article 63:2 de I'Accord (voir Ie document 
IP/NIlIBHR/3). 
Consejo de los Aspectos de los Derechos de Propiedad 
Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio 
PRINCIP ALES LEYES Y REGLAMENTOS DEDICADOS A LA 
PROPIEDAD INTELECTUAL NOTIFICADOS EN VIRTUD 
DEL P ARRAFO 2 DEL ARTicULO 63 DEL ACUERDO 
BAHREIN 
En el presente documento se reproduce el texto! del Decreto Legislativo N° 10 de 1993 
relativo a la Ley de Derecho de Autor, notificado por Bahrein de conformidad con el parrafo 2 del 
articulo 63 del Acuerdo (vease el documento IP/N/IIBHR/3). 
1 In English only. The text in the original language is available for consultation by interested 
Delegations at the WTO Secretariat.lEn anglais seulement. Les delegations interessees peuvent consulter Ie 
texte, dans sa langue d'origine, au Secretariat de rOMC.lEn ingles solamente. Las delegaciones interesadas 
podran consultar en la Secretaria de la OMC el texto en su idioma original. IP/N/IIBHR/C/1 
Page 2 
LEGISLATIVE DECREE NO. 10 OF THE YEAR 1993 
WITH RESPECT TO COPYRIGHT LAW 
We Isa Bin Salman AI Khalifa, the Amir of the State of Bahrain 
Having reviewed the Constitution, 
And Amiri Order No. (4) of 1975, 
And Legislative Decree No. (12) of 1971 with respect to Promulgating 
the Civil and Commercial Procedures Act, as amended, 
And Legislative Decree No. (20) of 1975 with respect to the Legal 
Deposit of Intellectual Works, 
And Decree No. (5) of 1986 with respect to the Setting up and 
Organisation of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Literature, 
And Upon the submission of the Minister of Cabinet Affairs and 
Information, 
And With the approval of the Council of Ministers, 
HEREBY DECREE THE FOLLOWING LAW: 
Article (1) 
An author is a person who produces or invents a work in the fields of literature, 
science, arts or who writes any written work or produces any creative work 
relating to any kind of knowledge, in which case such intellectual work is 
attributed to him by way of clearly displaying his name onSO it or with the use 
of a pen-name or by any other method unless there is proof to the contrary. 
Article (2) 
(1) This Law shall protect the authors of creative works which are of a literary, 
scientific, artistic and cultural nature in general regardless of the nature of 
such works, or the type thereof, or the method of expression used therein, 
or the purpose of writing or creation. IPIN/IIBHRlCIl 
Page 3 
(2) The aforesaid .protection shall be applicable to the authors of the following 
works: 
(a) Books, brochures, research works and all printed materials. 
(b) Speeches, seminars, and literary, scientific and artistic lectures. 
(c) All works of drama and musicals. 
(d) Songs, musical compositions and tunes of songs. 
(e) Paintings, sculpture, decorative works, engraving and photography. 
(f) Photographs, 'maps, geographical charts, engineering and architectural 
plans and designs. 
(g) Plastic art works and works relating to topography, architecture and 
sciences. 
(h) Choreographic works and pantomime presentations. 
(i) Cinematographic, broadcasting and television works. 
U) Personally crea~ed computer software, including data bases. The 
aforesaid software is defined as the entire phrases and instructions 
expressed in any language, code or sign and intended for, use by 
computers directly or indirectly with the aim of realising specific results. 
(k) Works involving compilation and classification of folk heritage items. 
Protection shall be applicable to the title of the intellectual work if it is 
. characterised by being of a creative nature and if the words are not 
common of indicating the subject of the intellectual work. 
Article (3) 
(1) Protection under this Law shall be enjoyed by any person who translates, 
summarises, explains or simplifies the intellectual property indicated in 
Article (2), with the approval of their owners so that the said property takes 
a new form. The same protection shall be enjoyed by authors of 
encyclopedias, language dictionaries and selections of intellectual and 
creative works. However, copyright of photographic items shall not result in 
prohibiting a person from taking new pictures of the object to be 
photographed even if these new photographs are taken from the same 
place and in general under the same conditions from which the earlier 
photographs were taken. 
(2) The protection provided for in the preceding paragraph shall not prejudice 
the protection enjoyed by authors of original intellectual property. 
Article (4) 
(1) Protection provided for in Articles 2 and 3 of this Law shall not be IPlNll IBHRlCI 1 
Page 4 
applicable to : 
(a) Court judgements passed by the law courts in various degrees and 
translations of such judgements. 
(b) Official documents such as texts of laws, Amiri Decrees, 
administrative orders, international treaties, their translations and all 
official documents. 
(c) News reports which are published or ·broadcast to the general public. 
(d) Intellectual works which become part of the public domain. 
(2) However, if the materials provided for in the preceding paragraph are 
published in compiled publications for a reason that is attributed to creative 
efforts, arrangement or any other personal effort, they shall be considered 
as intellectual property which shall enjoy protection by this Law. 
Article (5) 
(1) Copyrights shall be attributed and confirmed in favour of the author solely 
unless there is a written agreement to the contrary. 
(2) An author shall have the exclusive right to determine whether to publish 
his intellectual property and to decide the method of such publication. 
(3) He shall have the exclusive right to financially exploit his intellectual 
property in the manner he deems appropriate. No third party shall exercise 
that right except by a written permission from him or his successor. 
(4) However, the rights of an author shall not be deemed prejudiced by the 
mention of his intellectual property in the course of a radio or television 
presentation of current events. 
Article (6) 
For the purpose of directly exploiting his intellectual property, an author shall be 
-entitled to do the following or to give a written permission for the following: 
(1) Reproduce the intellectual property by all available means, including 
photography, cinematography, audio or video recording. 
(2) Translating the aforesaid property into another language, adapting, 
modifying, abridging, summarising, explaining or musically reproducing it. IPINIlIBHRlCI 1 
Page 5 
(3) Presenting an intellectual property to the public by way of a public 
performance, television, cinematographic or theatrical presentation, radio 
broadcasting or by any other method, especially publication. 
(4) Making an objection to any addition, deletion or alteration to his intellectual 
property without obtaining his permission. 
(5) Using any other method deemed fit by the author without being in conflict 
with the public interest or order. 
Article (7) 
Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding Article, if an omission or 
alteration takes place in the translation of an intellectual property, modifying or 
developing it in any other manner, an author or his successor shall not have the 
right to make an objection unless this shall result in affecting the author's 
honour or academic or artistic status or if the content of the relevant work is 
prejudiced. 
In all cases, mention shall be made about what the modified intellectual 
property contains in the terms of alteration to the original property. 
Article (8) 
(1) Government Ministries and organisations shall have the right to make use 
of any intellectual property which was previously published for using it for 
educational information, cultural or religious purposes in order to serve the 
public interest, provided that the source of that intellectual property or the 
name of its author shall be indicated in a manner that shall not prejudice 
the author'S financial rights. 
(2) The media, newspapers and official magazines may quote, publish or 
broadcast parts of or extracts from any intellectual property without the 
approval of its owner if such action contributes to enhancing the 
awareness or education of the public opinion provided that credit shall be 
given to the intellectual property in question and the name of its author in 
a manner that shall not prejudice the author's financial rights. 
Article (9) 
An author or his public or private successor may oppose the acts indicated in 
Article (8) should they have the effect of damaging the author's reputation, 
literary or artistic fame or cause harmful effects to his financial rights. IP/N/lIBHRlCIl 
Page 6 
Article (10) 
(1) Academic and cultural institute and universities, official documentation and 
research centres and public libraries shall be entitled to reproduce or 
photocopy literary, scientific and artistic intellectual property to the extent 
of the number of copies required for meeting the requirements and 
activities of these institutions and serving their objects without obtaining a 
prior permission from the author, provided that this shall not prejudice their 
legitimate financial interests. 
(2) The military forces music band shall have the right to play musical 
composition without being under an obligation to pay any consideration to 
the composers as long as such playing does not yield any financial 
proceeds. 
Article (11) 
Once an author has published his intellectual property, he shall not be entitled 
to bar any person who reproduces his intellectual property, translates, abridges, 
photocopies or produces extracts therefrom, provided that such act shall be for 
his own personal use and shall not have the intent of reaping any financial 
returns, provided that credit shall be given to that particular property and the 
name of its author. 
However, publication of the aforesaid property shall not take place except after 
obtaining a permission from the original owner and author. 
Article (12) 
Owners of original fine art works and writers of original music notes shall be 
empowered, despite having assigned the ownership of their intellectual property 
in favour of another person without consideration, to claim a compensation 
which shall not exceed one half of the value of such work of art if it is sold at a 
public auction or if it makes financial returns as a consequence of the sale or 
disposal thereof. This provision shall not be applicable to works of architecture 
or applied art. 
Article (13) 
If the public interest requires the publication of an intellectual property which 
has not been published or republished by the author's heirs in spite of formally 
requesting them to do so by the National Council for Culture, Arts and IP/N/IIBHRlC/l 
Page 7 
Literature, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Information may by virtue of an 
order to be issued by him instruct the aforesaid National Council of Culture, 
Arts and Literature to publish the said property after the lapse of one year from 
the date of the formal request to the heirs, while giving them a fair 
compensation without prejudice to their right to contest the aforesaid order of 
the Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Information before the High Civil Court within 
thirty days from the date of becoming aware of such order. 
The Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Information may seek the issue of an order 
from the High Civil Court to oblige the heirs to deliver the intellectual property 
to the National Council for Culture, Arts and Literature, if necessary. 
Article (14) 
An author may do any legal act that has the effect of transferring all or some of 
the rights provided for in this Law. 
Article (15) 
(1) All legal acts having the consequence of transferring copyrights must be 
confirmed in writing by virtue of contracts which shall be legalised and 
entered into between the author or whoever to whom the rights of an 
author and his beneficiary have been devolved. Such contracts shall be 
made in triplicate or in a number of copies in excess of the number of the 
contracting parties by one copy. The said contracts shall contain the full 
names of contracting parties, their nationalities, kind of intellectual 
property, the disposal affecting it and the legal consequences of such act. 
(2) One copy of every legal act involving a transfer of copyright shall be 
deposited with the Copyright Protection Office, at the Ministry of Cabinet 
Affairs and Information. 
(3) The Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Information shall issue an order 
regulating the setting up of an office belonging to the Ministry of Cabinet 
Affairs and Information for protection of copyright, method of depositing 
legal acts, determining ways and means of such deposit after obtaining the 
approval of the Council of Ministers to the prescribed fees in this respect. 
Article (16) 
A disposal by an author involving his entire intellectual works in future shall 
deemed null and void. IP/N/lIBHRlCIl 
Page 8 
Article (17) 
A disposal of the ownership of the only original copy of an intellectual property 
or several copies thereof shall not have the consequence of transferring 
copyright to the aforesaid property. 
Article (18) 
If more than one person participate in producing an intellectual property so that 
it is not feasible to separate the share of each of them in this jointly produced 
work, all of them shall be considered equally as the joint owners of such 
property unless there is an agreement to the contrary. 
In such case, the rights arising from such copyright may not be exercised 
except by the unanimous agreement of all the joint authors, failing which their 
difference shall be settled through the jurisdiction of the High Civil Court. 
Each of the co-authors shall have the right to bring a summary legal action 
upon the occurrence of any beach of copyright and the right to commence a 
legal action of his share of the compensation for the damage occurring as a 
result thereof. 
Article (19) 
If several persons take part in producing an intellectual property so that it is 
possible to separate the share of each of them, each of the participants shall 
have the right to exploit the part that he has personally contributed, provided 
that this shall not prejudice the exploitation of the jOintly owned intellectual 
property unless there is an agreement to the contrary. 
Article (20) 
Without prejudice to the author of the literary part of intellectual properties 
involving musicals, the music composer shall have the exclusive right to 
authorise the public performance of the entire jointly owned intellectual 
property, its presentation, publication or producing copies thereof. 
The author of the literary part shall be entitled to publish his own work, 
provided that he may not dispose thereof to serve as a basis for producing 
another musical property unless there is an agreement to the contrary. 
Article (21) 
For co-productions of intellectual property accompanied by music and IP/NIl/BHRlC!1 
Page 9 
choreography and for all similar intellectual property, a choreographer shall 
have the right to be authorised to present public performances of the entire 
intellectual property, its execution or producing copies thereof. 
The composer of the music shall be entitled to dispose of this particular 
element of the property, provided that he shall not use it in another intellectual 
property thQt is similar to the aforesaid co-production unless there is an 
agreement to the contrary. 
Article (22) 
The following shall be considered as a participant in the ownership of a 
cinematographic intellectual property or work intended for broadcasting on the 
radio or television. 
(1) Script writer or creator of the written concept of the intellectual property. 
(2) Person who has adopted the literary work in a manner rendering it suitable 
for this art. 
(3) Writer of the dialogue. 
(4) Composer of the music who has composed especially for this kind of 
intellectual property. 
(5) Director if he maintains an actual control, and undertakes a positive role 
from the intellectual aspect for the materialisation of any such intellectual 
property. 
If a cinematographic intellectual property or work adapted for radio or television 
is produced as an adaptation of a previously produced property, the author of 
the aforesaid previously produced property shall be considered as a co-author 
of the new intellectual property. 
Article (23) 
The script writer, writer of the literary adaptation, dialogue writer and director 
shall jointly have the right to present the cinematographic production or the 
work adapted for radio and television notwithstanding any objection from the 
original author of the literary work or music composer without prejudice to the 
rights of persons making objections on grounds relating to their participation in 
creating the work. IP/N/lIBHRlC/1 
Page 10 
The author of the literary element or musical element of the work shall be 
entitled to publish his intellectual property in another manner unless there is an 
agreement to the contrary. 
Article (24) 
In O:1e of the participants in creating a cinematographic intellectual property 
abstains from completing the part of the work belonging thereto or is unable to 
complete the part for which he is responsible for reasons beyond his control, he 
shall not have the right to bar the other participants from using the part that he 
previously completed. He shall be deemed as an author in respect of the part 
that has been completed, hence he shall enjoy the rights arising thereform. 
Article (25) 
A producer of a cinematographic, radio or television intellectual property shall 
be considered as the natural or corporate person who undertakes its 
completion and assumes responsibility for such completion or who makes 
available to the authors of the said property the material and financial 
resources required for its production. 
In all cases, a producer shall be deemed as the publisher of the intellectual 
property and he shall have all the rights of the publisher. 
During the mutually agreed exploitation period, the producer shall be deemed 
as an agent acting on behalf of the authors of the intellectual property and for 
their successor in agreeing upon its presentation and exploitation without 
prejudice to the rights of authors of literary or musical intellectual properties 
unless there is an agreement to the contrary. 
Article (26) 
A collective intellectual property is a certain intellectual property created with a 
participation of a group under the guidance of a natural or corporate person so 
that it becomes impossible to separate the work of each of the participants and 
to identify it individually. 
The natural or corporate person who guides the creation and co-ordination of 
such intellectual property shall solely exercise the rights of the author with 
respect to such intellectual property. Article (27) IPIN/IIBHRlCIl 
Page 11 
If an intellectual property is created for the account of a natural person or a 
private or public corporate entity, copyright shall be confirmed in favour of the 
person who created the aforesaid property unless there is an agreement to the 
contrary. 
Article (28) 
For the intellectual properties which carry a pseudonym or the works that do 
not carry the author's name, the publisher whose name appears on the 
intellectual property shall be deemed to have been authorised directly by the 
author in exercising the rights established therefor in this Law unless the 
opposite is proved. 
Article (29) 
A person who takes a photograph, shall not be entitled to display, publish or 
distribute its negative or copies thereof without a permission from the persons 
who have been photographed unless there is an agreement to the contrary. 
This provision shall not be applicable if the publication of the photograph takes 
place for special events which took place in public or relates to public figures or 
concerns well-known persons or authorised by the government authorities for 
the public good. 
However, it shall not be permitted in the preceding instance to display or 
circulate the photograph if such action results in affecting the honour, reputation 
or esteem of the person it represents. The person appearing in the photograph 
shall have the power to authorise its publication in the newspapers, magazines 
and such other periodicals even if this is not permitted by the photographer 
unless otherwise agreed upon. 
These provisions shall be applicable to pictures whatever may be the method of 
producing them whether they are paintings, engravings or any other methods. 
Article (30) 
(1) Individual or joint rights of authors shall devolve upon their legal heirs after 
their death unless there is a will to the contrary. 
(2) Where an author has no heir or legatees under his will, the share of such IP/N/IIBHRJC/1 
Page 12 
author to the joint copyright shall devolve upon his co-authors unless 
otherwise agreed upon. 
Article (31) 
(1) Copyright protection for an intellectual property shall lapse fifty calendar 
years after the death of the author. For jointly owned intellectual properties, 
such period shall be calculated from the date of the death of the last 
survivor of the co-authors. 
(2) Copyright protection shall lapse apon the expiry of fifty calendar years 
from the date of publication for the following intellectual works: 
(a) Cinematographic films, applied arts works and photographs. 
(b) Intellectual properties that are published under a pseudonym or 
without carrying the author's name unless the identity of the author 
has been revealed during that period. 
(c) Intellectual properties belonging to public or private corporate entities. 
(d) Intellectual properties which are published for the first time after the 
author's death. 
(3) Protection period for computer software shall lapse upon the expiry of fifty 
years from the date of completing the work thereon or upon the expiry of 
forty years from the date of publication, whichever is earlier. 
(4) In all cases, if the intellectual property consists of several parts which were 
published separately and at different intervals, each part shall be deemed 
as an independent intellectual property in calculating the protection period. 
Article (32) 
Copyright protection for an intellectual property published in a foreign language 
and the copyright belonging to the translator of such work in another foreign 
language to translate such work into Arabic shall lapse upon the expiry of fifty 
years from the date of publishing the first edition of the original or translated 
intellectual property. 
However, the National Council for Culture, Arts and Liberature may upon an 
order of the Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Information authorise the translation 
of foreign intellectual works into Arabic unless the author or translator exercises 
this right during three years from the date of publishing the first edition of the 
original or translated intellectual property under the terms to be determined by 
the NCCAL, provided that consideration shall be given to the right of the author 
or his successor to a fair compensation. Article (33) IP/N/IIBHRlC/l 
Page 13 
(1) An author's will shall be implemented with respect to prohibiting the 
publication of his intellectual work or adhering to the conditions of such 
publication and the date fixed therefor. 
(2) Contracts relating to the rights of authors to exploiting their intellectual 
properties and entered into with third parties prior to their death shall be 
carried out without alteration. 
Article (34) 
Every person whose rights set forth in this Law have been violated shall have 
the right to compensation. 
Article (35) 
Without prejudice to the provisions of the Legislative Decree No. (20) of 1975 
with respect to the Legal Deposit of Publications, the publishers of literary, 
artistic and scientific properties which are published by producing copies 
thereof in the State of Bahrain shall prior to the distribution thereof deposit at 
their expense three copies of each of such properties with the Copyright 
Protection Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and Information and details 
about the intellectual property shall be published in the Official Gazette. 
An order of the Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Information shall be issued with 
respect to the rules of deposit and the prescribed fees for such deposit after 
securing the consent of the Council of Ministers with respect to such fees. 
Failure to effect the said deposit shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding 
BD100 without prejudice to the requirement to effect the deposit. These 
provisions shall not be applicable to the intellectual works published in 
newspapers and magazines unless such works are published separately. 
Article (36) 
An attachment may not be placed over the author's copyright for the fulfilment 
of a court judgement but an attachment may be placed over copies of the 
published intellectual property. Further, intellectual properties the owner of 
which dies before their publication may not be subject to an attachment unless 
it is conclusively proved that he sought to publish them before his death. IPINIl/BHRlCIl 
Page 14 
Article (37) 
A punishment of imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and a fine 
not exceeding Bahrain Dinar one thousand or either penalty shall be inflicted 
upon the following: 
(a) Every person who violates the copyrights provided for in Articles 5 and 6 
of this Law. 
(b) Every person who brings into the country with the intent to sell, sells or 
circulates with the aim of trading or promotes to the public in any manner 
whatsoever an imitated or forged intellectual property. 
(c) Every person who reveals or facilitates the revealing of computer software 
before the publication thereof. 
In case of recurrence of any of the offences provided for in this Article within 
three years from the date of passing the judgement for the above penalty, the 
count may rule for inflicting the maximum penalty. 
Article (38) 
In addition to passing a judgement with respect to inflicting the penalty provided 
for in the preceding Article, the Court may order the confiscation and 
destruction of all the imitated intellectual works and the tools and facilities 
apprehended in respect of the case and used in committing the offence. 
Article (39) 
The Summary Proceedings Judge shall, upon a law-suit filed by the author or 
his successor and following the procedures set forth in the Civil and 
Commercial Procedures Act, be empowered to order that the following steps be 
taken in respect of every intellectual property which has been published or 
performed in violation of the provisions of this Law: 
(1) Giving a detailed description of the intellectual property. 
(2) Suspending the publication, performance or production of the intellectual 
property. 
(3) Placing a precautionary attachment over the original or copy of the 
intellectual property as well as the items used in republishing the aforesaid 
property. IPINIlIBHRlC/1 
Page 15 
(4) Proving the public performance in respect of presenting, acting or reciting 
any intellectual property for an audience and barring the continuation of 
the current performance or prohibiting it from taking place in the future. 
(5) Appointing a court receiver in respect of the intellectual property subject to 
the dispute to undertake the task of republishing or resume performance, 
making or reproducing copies of the intellectual property, provided that the 
proceeds shall be deposited in the Court Treasury. The receivership shall 
be terminated upon a mutual agreement to be reached by the concerned 
parties or by a court judgement. 
(6) Drawing up an account of the proceeds arising from publication or 
performance through an expert to be nominated for this purpose if 
required and placing a precautionary attachment over the revenues arising 
in all cases. 
The Summary Proceedings Judge shall be empowered to order the 
appointment of an expert to enforce in the execution of the above actions 
and to instruct the plaintiff to deposit an appropriate guarantee. The 
plaintiff shall refer the fundamental dispute to the relevant court within the 
fifteen days following the passing of the judgement. If an action is not 
brought during this time limit, a judgement shall cease to have effect. 
Article (40) 
The court of law before which the issue of dispute is being heard may, at the 
request of the author or whoever acts on his behalf, resolve to destroy copies 
or reproductions of the intellectual property published in an illegal manner 
together with the materials used in its publication, provided that they shall not 
be fit for another work or by altering the features of the copies, reproductions 
and materials or rendering them unfit for business all of which shall be at the 
cost of the party rendered liable. 
However, where the copyright will lapse after a period of less than two years 
with effect from the date of passing the judgement and without prejudice to the 
copyrights provided for in Articles 5 and 6 of this Law, the court may replace 
the judgement for destruction. or altering the features pass a ruling for 
confirmation of the precautionary attachment for settlement of any award of 
compensation adjudged in favour of the author. 
Nevertheless, a judgement for destruction or altering the features may not be 
handed down if the dispute in question relates to the translation of an IPIN/1/BHRlC/1 
Page 16 
intellectual property into Arabic in violation of the provIsion of Article (30) 
Paragraph 2, and the judgement shall be restricted to confirming the 
precautionary attachment over the translated work for settlement of 
compensations adjudged by the court in favour of the author. 
In all cases, for the author's debt arising from his claim for compensation he 
shall have a lien over the net proceeds of selling things and cash funds subject 
to attachment for settlement of dues thereto and no priority shall exist over 
such lien save for the legal costs and expenses incurred towards the 
safekeeping and maintenance of the said items and for the collection of such 
amounts. 
Article (41) 
An author shall have the exclusive right to request the High Civil Court, should 
there be serious reasons deemed appropriate by the Court, to withdraw his 
intellectual work from circulation or make alterations thereof in spite of the legal 
disposal affecting the right of exploitation while the author shall express 
willingness to pay a fair compensation to whoever has been transferred the 
right of financial exploitation to be paid within a term to be determined by the 
Court, otherwise the judgement shall cease to have effect. 
Article (42) 
Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 36, 37 and 38 of this Law, it shall not 
be permitted to place an attachment over, alter the feature, confiscate or 
damage properties and buildings carrying architectural designs with the excuse 
of preserving the architect's copyright even if it has been proved that there is a 
breach of copyright to the drawing and design, but his right to claim damages 
shall be reserved. 
Article (43) 
The provisions of this Law shall be applicable to: 
(1) Intellectual properties of Bahraini authors that are published for the first 
time in Bahrain or outside it. 
(2) Intellectual properties of foreign authors that are published for the first time 
in Bahrain. 
(3) Intellectual properties of Arab authors who are nationals of the member IPINIlIBHRlCIl 
Page 17 
states that ratified the Arab Copyright Protection Agreement of 1985 that 
are published for the first time in one of the member states that ratified the 
Agreement. 
Article (44) 
Without prejudice to the provisions of the preceding Article, the provisions of 
this Law shall be applicable to all the intellectual properties in existence on the 
effective date thereof. However, for the calculation of the period for protection of 
such properties, it shall include the period which lapsed from the date of the 
fixed event for the commencement of the effective period until the date on 
which this Law comes into force. 
The provisions of this Law shall be applicable to all the facts and agreements 
subsequent to the date of its coming into force even if they relate to intellectual 
properties published, screened or performed prior to that date. 
For the agreements which were made before the effective date of this Law, its 
provisions shall not be applicable thereto but shall remain subject to the 
provisions in force at the time of completing them. 
Article (45) 
The Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Information shall issue the necessary orders 
for implementing the provisions of the Law. Every provision which conflicts with 
its provisions shall be revoked. 
Article (46) 
All Ministers, each in his respective capacity, shall implement this Law which 
shall come into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. 
Issued at Riffa Palace 
Dated: 17th Thilhija, 1413 Hijra 
Corresp. to 7th June 1993. Signed: Isa Bin Salman AI-Khalifa 
Amir of the State of Bahrain