IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS  
Of Copyright Law  
 
 
Issued by  
The Minister of Culture and Information's decision no. (1688/1) 
dated 10/04/1425H (29 May 2004)  
 
Amended  by 
His Excellency's decision no. (1640) dated 
15/05/1426H (22 June 2005)  
 
Amended by the Resolution of the Board of Directors of the 
Saudi Intellectual Property Authority No. (4/8/2019) dated 
4/9/1440 AH  (9 May 2 019) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 R-LA-056-01 
 
 
 
Unofficial Translation 
 
Article 1: Definitions  
The following words and phrases, whenever mentioned in the articles of these 
Regulations, shall have the meanings stated next to them:  
 
(1) Proprietary right of the author: Aggregate material and immaterial interests vested in the 
person to his  work.  
 
 
(2) Author: Every person who innovates by his own effort, any of the literary, artistic or 
scientific works such as the man of letters, the poet, the painter or the musician or any other 
artist, according to the form of  expression.  
 
 
(3) Innovation: The personal style dis played by the author in his work, which makes the work 
distinctive and novel and presents the work through the elements of the concept displayed or 
the method employed to present the  concept.  
 
 
(4) Infringement of copyright: Any use of the work unauthorized by  the copyright owner 
and conflicting with the instructions of usage determined by the copyright owner, or 
committing one or more of the violations provided for in the Law and these  Regulations.  
 
 
(5) Work: It is the literary, scientific or artistic production irrespective of its type, importance, 
form of expression or  purpose.  
 
 
(6) Literary works: Works which are expressed in words whatever their content may be, 
whether written or  oral.  
 
 
(7) Artistic works: Works which  appeal to the sense of beauty of the public, such as painting, 
coloring, movement, sound, picture, viewing or  music.   
 
(8) Performers: Actors, players of musical instruments, singers, dancers, reciters and others 
who perform an arti stic activity of other literary or artistic works in one way or  another.  
 
 
(9) Publication: Transmittance or communication of the work directly or indirectly to the 
public or making copies or photo copies of it or of any part of it which may be read, viewed, 
listened to or  performed.  
 
 
(10) Producer: A natural or corporate person who undertakes to transform the artistic, audio 
or audio -visual work into a material means for the purpose of displaying it to the public under 
its financial  responsibility.  
 
 
(11) The Law: Copyright  Law.  
 
 
(12) Regulations: The implementing regulations of the Copyright  Law.  
 
 
(13) Competent  Department: The competent department in the  Saudi Authority for 
Intellectual Property.  
 
 
(14) Authority : Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property . 
 
 
(15) Board of Directors : The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property ’s 
Board of Directors.   
 
Chapter One  
 
Protected Works and the Rights of Public Performance  
 
 
Article 2: Protected  Works  
 
A- The Following shall be among the protected works:  
 
(1) Dramatic works or  musicals.  
(2) Choreographic and mime  works.  
(3) Musical compositions with or without  words.  
(4) Cinematographic works or works expressed by a process analogous to 
cinematography.  
(5) Sculpture, engraving and  lithography.  
(6) Photographic works or works expressed by a process analogous to 
photography.  
7- News Reports. Daily News Facts are excluded of this  protection.  
 
 
Article 3: Folklore  
 
(1) The Saudi Folklore shall be a public property of the state and no one may 
develop or amend it except with the prior approval of the  Authority . 
(2) Any expression that reflects the traditional heritage which started or continued 
in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia shall be deemed part of Saudi Folklore, 
specially the following  expressions:  
(a) Folk expressions, such as folk tales, riddles, puzzles, folk poems 
and other similar traditional  expressions.  
(b) Musical expressions, such as chants, songs, folk songs whether 
recited or accompanied by  music.  
(c) Expressions by movement, such as folk dances, artistic 
formations and those performed in  festivals.  
(d) Plastic expressio ns, such as drawings by lines, colors, engraving 
and sculpture, pottery, products made from wood and  iron and 
the like, or what  is added  to them  of different   
 
figurations such as inscription and drawing, handcrafted bags, 
needle works, car pets and clothes and the like.  
(3) Import of copies of Saudi Folklore works, copies of their translations or others, 
which are produced outside the Kingdom shall be prohibited except with the 
prior approval of the  Authority.  
 
Article 4: Provisions Governing Circulation of Documents  
 
Authors shall observe the provisions governing circulation of official documents issued in 
the Kingdom and shall obtain official approvals for their publication or translation, including 
the provisions of laws, regulations, judici al judgments and decisions of administrative 
agencies.  
 
 
Article 5: Rights of Acting and Public Performance  
 
Authors of dramatic works, musicals and musical works or their representatives shall 
have the right to authorize the following:  
(1) Acting their works or performing them publicly by all methods or  means.  
(2) Fixation or transmission of acting and performance of their works to the public 
by all  means.  
(3) Translation of their  works.  
 
 
Article 6: Right of Tracing  
 
Authors of original plastic art and of original musical manuscripts shall have the right to 
share by a percentage in the returns of any sale transaction of these works, even if they have 
assigned the ownership of the original copy of their works. This shall not apply to works of 
architecture nor to work s of applied art.   
 
Article 7: Protection of Performers, Producers of Sound Recordings, 
and Broadcasting Organizations  
 
First : Performers and Producers of Sound Recordings  
 
Performers and producers of sound recordings shall enjoy the exclus ive right to 
authorize the following:  
(1) Public performance of their works, including public recitation by all means or 
methods.  
(2) Transmission and performance of their works to the public by all  means.  
(3) Fixation of their performance in material  form.  
(4) Permission  to transmit all or part of their works through the  Internet.  
(5) Permission of audio fixation of their musical work and circulation thereof in 
specific countries. All copies imported from countries with an exclusive license, 
or manufactured without permission from the author, shall be deemed in 
violation of copyrights a nd shall be subject to  confiscation.  
(6) Permission to distribute and rent their original  works.  
(7) Producers of sound recordings shall have the right to authorize or prohibit 
direct or indirect reproduction of their sound  recordings.  
 
(1) Second : Broadcasting Or ganizations  
Broadcasting organizations shall have the right to prohibit any of the following 
acts if undertaken without their authorization:  
(1) Fixation and reproduction of  broadcasts.  
(2) Retransmission by wireless means and communication of materials to the 
public.  
(3) Determining the means of direct broadcast and reception or through receivers 
or by  cable.  
(4) Transmission to the public of radio broadcast in public places or through 
internal wire broadcasts of closed  compounds.   
 
Article 8: Claiming Rights  
 
(1) A co -author of any work may individually request taking precautionary 
measures whenever there is an infringement of copyright and may 
individually claim his share of the compensation for harm incurred by  him.  
(2) A co -author may object to any developme nt or modification desired by the 
majority of partners in the  work.  
 
Article 9: Rental Rights  
 
Copyright owners may rent them in the Kingdom in coordination with the Authority , 
upon obtaining its prior approval and its taking the necessary precautions, suc h as:  
(1) Ensuring that there is nothing to prevent renting  them.  
(2) Submitting a list of works to be rented, including an indication of types of 
rentals for  approval.  
(3) Determining the probable problems and infringements which may result from 
renting to consider t he possibility of avoiding  them.  
(4) The beneficiary’s explaining to the targeted public the rental  mechanism.  
(5) Advertising, at the expense of the copyright owners, the necessary instructions 
to the targeted  public.  
(6) Fixing an effective date for the  renting.  
 
 
Article 10: Protection of Data Bases  
 
The original data bases shall be protected by reason of the selection and arrangement of 
their contents as intellectual creations. This protection shall not extend to the data or the 
materials themselves.   
 
Chapter Two  
 
Violations and Procedures of Detection  
 
 
Section One  
 
Violations and Liability for Copyright Infringement  
 
 
Article 11: Infringement Liability  
 
First : Any person who obtains an original copy of any intellectual work and exploits it 
by means of renting, adaptation or permitting others to copy or reproduce it or any 
other acts which affect or obstruct the author from exercising his rights shall be 
deemed  to have infringed the Copyright.  
Second : Firms shall be deemed liable for any violations committed by an employee 
against any intellectual work if their knowledge or negligence is established, such as 
keeping forged or copied computer programs, audio or v isual tapes, or conducting 
maintenance on an electronic equipment loaded with forged programs, decoded or 
similar works.  
Third : Anyone who reproduces, sells, imports, exports, transports, publishes or rents 
protected works with knowledge of the violation s hall be deemed to be committing an 
infringement of copyright and in violation of the provisions of the Law and these 
Regulations.  
 
 
Article 12: Infringement of Literary Works  
 
First : It shall be deemed within the scope of personal use any use of intellectu al works for 
personal use only, such as reproducing the work for the purpose of preserving the original 
copy, for writing on the reproduced copy, for translating some paragraphs or writing 
comments expressing personal opinion. Any use beyond these purposes  shall not be deemed 
personal  use. 
Second : Any use beyond the scope of personal use shall be deemed an infringement, such 
as the  following:   
 
(1) Using and reproducing the work or exploiting it to perform job  duties.  
(2) Using the work for commerci al or profit making  purposes.  
(3) Using the work in ways not authorized by the  author.  
(4) Renting, reproducing or authorizing others to reproduce or adapt the work 
under the pretext of owning an original  copy.  
(5) Any act that hinders the author from exercising his moral or financial  right.  
1. Third:  As understood from Article 9, second, of this Law, include the right of 
reproduction in any manner or form such as digital reproduction.  
 
fourth : Reproducing the work to make copies available for commercial exploitation or for 
selling them to students, to educational institutions or to others is deemed an infringement of  
copyright.  
Fifth : An employer’s ownership of the original copy of the work does not grant him the right 
to reproduce and distribute it among his employee s, under the pretext of personal use.  
 
 
Article 13: Infringement of Audio, Visual and Broadcasting  Works  
 
Any use beyond that specified by the owner of audio, visual and broadcasting works 
shall be deemed an infringement of copyright, such as the  following : 
(1) Communicating the work to the public without obtaining a prior license from 
the owners of the copyright, such as use of radio, music, video or satellite 
transmission in shops, restaurants, hotels, clubs, hospitals and other similar 
places where there are  frequent visitors or  gatherings.  
(2) Breaking of protective barriers for the purpose of presenting broadcasting 
materials through illegal  means.  
(3) Reproduction of broadcast materials for the purpose of presentation, rental or 
sale.  
(4) Addition or removal of electr onic chips of display equipment for the purpose 
of making it exceed its manufactured limits in order to infringe the rights of 
others.   
 
Article 14: Infringement of Rights of Performance  
 
(1) It shall be an infringement of performance rights if  the work is performed in 
school theaters or the like unless the performer of the work obtains the prior 
approval of the owners. It shall be deemed lawful use in accordance with 
Article (15), Paragraph (8) of the Law if the performance of the work is in th e 
classroom for the purpose of  education.  
(2) It shall be deemed an infringement of copyright any reproduction of the work 
during its performance, such as photographing or recording it for the purpose 
of exploitation or presentation to the public without the a pproval of the owners 
of the  right.  
 
Article 15: Decoding of Electronic Equipment  
 
It shall be an infringement of copyright any act resulting in removal of the original 
precautionary information from the electronic equipment produced by the manufacturer, a nd 
any person who facilitates this is deemed to be committing an act of infringement, such as:  
(1) Removing or adding electronic or non -electronic devices of display and 
receiving equipment for the purpose of exceeding the limits designed by the 
manufacturer.  
(2) Canceling the original program that operates the display and receiving 
equipment and loading them with forged programs for the purpose of 
exceeding the limits and capabilities for which the equipment is  designed.  
 
Article 16: Infringement of Computer Programs  
 
First : Considered as literary works, computer programs and games shall enjoy protection 
whether in the source code or in the object code.  
Second : It shall be deemed an infringement of copyright any use of the programs different 
from that specifie d by the owner of the right, such as:  
(1) Reproduction of software and game  programs.   
 
(2) Renting the software or game programs or licensing their collective use in the 
absence of documents authorizing the renting person to exercise this right 
upon obtaining the approval of the  Authority . 
(3) Loading the local networks or the equipment with reproduced  software.  
 
 
Article 17: Liability of Maintenance Centers  
 
Workshops that provide maintenance service for display and receiving electronic 
equipment are deemed liable for and in infringement of copyright if detected to have in their 
possession decoded equipment or equipment loaded with forged programs, or to use forged 
programs in maintenance works.  
 
 
Section Two  
 
Procedures of Detection and Investigation of Violations  
 
 
Article 18: Detection of Violations  
 
Detection of violations of provisions of the Law and the Regulations shall be carried out 
in any of the following cases:  
(1) Pursuant to a complaint or written notice filed by owners of the right or their 
representatives.  
(2) Routine or sudden field visits by the inspectors of the Authority  to public firms 
and shops that use in their activities any of the intellectual  works.  
 
Article 19: Procedures of Detection and Inspection  
 
When performing detection and inspection, detecting officers shall follow these 
procedures:  
(1) Entering sites of firms which produce, display, distribute, sell, use or provide 
maintenance services to any of the protected works, including annexes and 
affiliates of those  sites.   
 
(2) Seizure of copies of works and equipment strongly believed to be subject of 
infringement and of the relevant documents, when necessary, and recording 
such in the detection  record.  
(3) Prompt questioning of the violator and those working in t he firm, if 
considered fit, after confronting them with the violation of which they are 
accused. In all cases, the violator shall be permitted to submit his defenses in 
writing or record them, and enclose the same along with the documents 
submitted with th e detection record, after recording the violator’s name, 
nationality, capacity and identification number as well as other evidentiary 
information.  
(4) Notifying the accused of the violation of his obligation to appear before the 
competent department  within a p eriod not exceeding three days, along with 
documents relevant to the matter  detected.  
(5) In case the person accused of the violation or his representative does not 
appear within three working days from the date of the violation detection, he 
shall be summoned  again to appear before the competent investigating officer 
within a period not exceeding five days. In case he fails to appear, the matter 
shall be reported to the police to summon him in order to complete the 
procedures of investigation, or the store sha ll be closed until he responds.  
 
Article 20: Detection Tasks  
 
First : The officials of the Competent Department  shall be responsible for the task of detecting 
violations and securing the evidence proving the existence of an infringement of copyright, 
such a s equipment, works or commodities.  
Second : A record for detecting the violation shall be drafted and signed by the drafter, and it 
shall contain the following information:  
(1) Name, address of the store and identification of its  owner.  
(2) Place where the violation was detected and time by hour, day and  month.  
(3) Names of workers in the site when the violation was  detected.   
 
(4) Title, nature of the work subject of the violation, number and specification of 
copies  detected.  
(5) Type, facts, reasons and circumstances of the  violation.  
 
 
Article 21: Analysis of Evidence  
 
The competent department shall, immediately upon receiving the evidence, take the 
following procedures:  
(1) Conducting an external examination and inspection of equipment or  works 
detected with regard to their external condition and  number.  
(2) Inspecting and analyzing the content of evidence detected in order to ensure 
whether or not they contain evidence of copyright infringement and preparing 
a written inspection report indicating the condition of the materials detected.  
(3) The complainant (plaintiff) may be permitted to conduct a brief inspection of 
the equipment with the participation of the analyst in the Department in order 
to prove the complaint, if the analysis proves the absence  of infringement.  
(4) The analyst shall submit his recommendation and report on the complaint to 
the Department, showing the extent to which the complaint is proved or  not. 
 
Article 22: Report of Evidence Analysis  
 
The competent department which det ected the works whose copyright is proved to be 
infringed shall prepare a report containing the following detailed information:  
(1) Detailed description of the  work.  
(2) Number of copies of the works detected and their sale price for the public at 
the time of  dete ction.  
(3) Violations and infringements in the  work.  
(4) Method and form of infringement and whether committed inside or outside 
the Kingdom.  
(5) Method of detecting the violation, whether pursuant to a complaint, a tip or a 
field  visit.   
 
(6) Method and form of displaying the violating works to the  public.  
(7) Any information or other technical facts about the work and the method of 
infringement, in order to confront the violator  therewith.  
 
Article 23: Investigation of Violations  
 
(1) In case of violations in th e works or detected equipment, the competent 
investigating officer shall initiate a record to enter the statements of the person 
or persons accused of the violation or whoever acts on their behalf and their 
defenses, in relation to the information recorded  in the report by the analyst, 
and to the complaint made against  them.  
(2) The investigation record shall contain the following  data:  
(a) Hour, day, date and place of the  investigation.  
(b) Name of the investigating officer and his  capacity.  
(c) Name of the person accused  of the violation, his 
identification number and contact  addresses.  
(d) Confronting him with the violations of which he is 
specifically  accused.  
(e) Complete answers of the person accused of the violation 
to the questions addressed to him, including his 
defenses and the statements of witnesses, if  any. 
(3) The violator shall be questioned about the time period in which he infringed 
on the work and the financial returns he has  realized.  
(4) The investigator may, if necessary, summon anyone whose testimony he 
deems indispen sable regarding the violation, and enter the same in the record.  
(5) The Competent  Department may seek the assistance of experts to reveal 
violations in accordance with the administrative procedures governing this.  
(6) The persons testifying shall sign at the end of every answer they give, and each 
page of the record shall be signed by the investigator and those who have been 
interrogated, in addition to the witnesses. The pages shall be drafted in a 
consecutive serial order without cancellation or  amendment.   
 
(7) The investigator shall conclude the investigation record with the results he has 
reached, attaching therewith the documents, evidences and proofs submitted, 
along with the time of its  completion.  
(8) The competent department shall refer the record of investigation along with all 
documents relevant to the infringement to the General Director of the 
Department.  
(9) The competent department shall review all procedures and investigations, 
determine the violations committed, the articles governing these violations in 
the Law and these Regulations, and the views of the  Department.  
(10) The information related to the case shall be entered in a special register 
in order to make entries  thereof.  
(11) The competent department shall refer the cases and violations along 
with all relevant documents to the violation review committee for  
consideration.  
 
Article 24: The Right to Claim Compensation  
 
The copyright owner or his representative is entitled to claim compensation for damages 
incurred as the result of the infri ngement of any of his rights protected by law, and shall 
submit a written memorandum to the competent department, if he desires, in which he 
explains in detail the damages incurred as a result of this infringement and how they occurred, 
as well as the esti mated amount of compensation claimed by him and the basis for such 
estimation. In all cases, he shall present the evidence and documents supporting his 
statements. The officer investigating the violation shall cross -examine him regarding such 
evidence and documents and check the gravity of the violation, and inform the defendant of 
what is brought against him, and grant him the ability to present his views and answers in 
this respect, and then refer the claim to the violation review committee for decision.  
 
 
Article 25: Procedures and Rules of the Violation Review Committee  
 
The committee shall exercise its jurisdiction in reviewing all violations of the provisions 
of the Law and these Regulations and shall determine the punishments according to what is   
 
stipulated in Article (22) of the Law in proportion to the gravity of infringement and the 
number of violations recorded with the committee against the violating party, and 
compensate owners of copyrights for the damage incurred by them,  subject to the following:  
(1) The chairman of the committee shall supervise its technical and administrative 
work, and shall determine the dates of sessions to review the cases brought 
before the committee in coordination with the  members.  
(2) The committee may convene its meetings if attended by not less than two thirds 
of the members, provided that the legal and Shari’ah counselors are present.  
(3) The committee, as necessary, may seek the assistance of experts to obtain their 
opinions on some of the violations brought before  it. 
(4) The committee may summon any party to the violation to hear his statements, 
the inspector who detected the violation, the information analyst, or the 
investigator or any other person whose statements the committee deems 
necessary to  hear.  
(5) The Committee may return the violation papers to the investigation authority 
in order to request additional information, or to complete whatever it deems 
necessary regarding the  investigations.  
(6) Decisions of the committee shall be issued by  majority vote and shall be 
referred by the chairman of the committee to the Board of Directors , and said 
decisions shall not be effective unless approved by the  Board of Directors . 
(7) If the committee finds the violation committed grave and punishable with 
imprisonment or a fine exceeding one hundred thousand riyals, or closing the 
store permanently and canceling the license, the matter shall be referred to the 
Board of Directors  for its  approval to forward this violation to the  Public 
Prosecution  to refer  it to the Competent Court  for review, and to determine the 
appropriate punishment against the  infringer.  
(8) The committee shall inform The Competent D epartment of the approved 
decisions in order to notify the relevant department to carry out the prescribed  
punishments.   
 
 
 
Article 26: Restrictions on the Execution of Punishments  
 
(1) In case of a grievance regarding the decision issued by the committee before 
the Board of Grievances, the punishments stated in the decision shall be 
suspended until a final judgment in relation thereto is rendered by the  Board.  
(2) Punishments within the jurisdiction of the competent court shall be carried out 
after a final judgment in connection therewith is rendered by the court.  
(3) When punishments are carried out, the following shall be taken into 
consideration:  
(a) The competent department shall notify the person against 
whom the punishment is issued or his representative of the 
decision issued against him by an official letter stating the 
number of the decision issued, it s date and punishments 
prescribed therein, and it shall be delivered to him or his 
representative or the person found in the firm after signing a 
copy of the letter, showing date of notification, name of the 
person who delivered the notification, his capac ity, signature 
and identification  number.  
(b) In case the violator is notified of the decision by official mail, he 
shall be considered notified after two weeks from the date of 
mailing the letter by registered or official  mail.  
(c) Upon payment of the fine prescr ibed in the decision by the 
violator, the Department shall complete the execution of the 
other punishments, such as provisional closure, suspension of 
participation of the firm in occasions or exhibitions, collection 
of compensation and the  like. 
(d) If a judg ment is rendered by the competent court  to cancel the 
license, the Authority  shall notify the government body that 
issued the license to cancel it, and follow up the execution of the  
judgment.  
(e) The fine shall be paid to the treasury of the Authority  against  an 
official receipt to be delivered to the Department in charge  of  
 
execution of the punishment or by a certified check payable to 
the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency and delivered to the 
Department concerned.  
(f) The Department concerne d shall  refer the check to the 
Competent Department  at the Authority  to collect the fine, and 
a copy of which shall be kept in the file of the  firm.  
(g) If the violator fails to pay the fine within fifteen (15) days from 
the date of the execution of the punishment, t he police shall be 
addressed to compel him to pay, and the Authority  may close 
his store until he pays the  amount.  
(h) The Authority  shall prepare a summary of the content of the  
judgment rendered against the violator if the decision provides 
for the punishment of publicizing the conviction in accordance 
with Article (22), Paragraph (5) of the Law, and shall be 
published at the expense of the violator in a distinct place in one 
or two daily newspapers of wide circulation, one of which is 
published in the area where the head office of the violator is 
located, according to the gravity of the  violation.  
 
   
 
Section Three 
Protective Seizure  
 
Article 27: Provisional Protective Measures  
 
(1) The committee has the authority to take immediate provisional measures in 
order to prevent infringement of any copyright, and to prevent imported works 
that contain infringement of copyright from reaching commercial outlets.  
(2) The committee has the authority  to take provisional measures without the 
knowledge of the other party, if it is likely that a delay would result  in harming 
him or it is likely to damage the  evidence.  
(3) The committee may request the  plaintiff:   
 
(a) To submit any evidence in hi s possession affirming that he is the 
owner of the  right.  
(b) To submit preliminary evidence proving that his right is being 
infringed or is about to be  infringed.  
(c) To submit a financial guarantee sufficient to protect the 
defendant and prevent abuse of rights or exercise  thereof.  
(d) The committee may request the plaintiff to submit any evidence 
necessary in order to determine the extent of the legitimacy of 
the lawsuit.  
(4) The committee, after taking the protective seizure measures, may notify the 
affected parties to submit their viewpoint and defenses within a provisional 
period not exceeding thirty one (31) days from the date of initiating the 
protective measures in order to consider whether to amend, cancel or confirm 
such  measures.  
(5) The committee may cancel the measures taken in accordance with  Paragraphs  
(1) and (2) of this Article pursuant to a request by the defendant, or suspend 
said measures if the plaintiff does not submit documents required from him 
within a time period determined by the committee, and not exceeding thirty 
one (31) days.  
(6) Upon cancellation of provisional measures or expiry of their effectiveness 
period as a result of the plaintiff’s negligence, or upo n becoming evident later 
that there was no infringement upon the works or commodities, the committee 
may, upon request of the defendant, order the plaintiff to pay appropriate 
compensations for any damage incurred by the defendant as a result of such  
measu res.  
 
Article 28: Measures at Borders  
 
(1) A copyright owner, who has legitimate reasons to suspect that works 
infringing his rights are intended for importation or exportation, may submit 
a written request to the committee in order to stop an d seize works imported 
or intended for importation or exportation, upon reaching the  borders.  
(2) The committee may request the plaintiff to submit a financial guarantee 
sufficient to protect the defendant and prevent abuse of  rights.  
(3) The plaintiff shall submit to the committee, within a period not exceeding  ten 
(10) working days, the complaint and the supporting evidence that determine 
the infringements he has incurred, provided that the period of seizure does not 
exceed thirty one (31) days, after which amendment, cancellation or 
confirmation of such measures shall be considered.  
(4) The committee may decide that the plaintiff pay to the importer or exporter an 
appropriate compensation for damages incurred by them as a result of 
wrongful seizure of  works.  
(5) The committee may grant the owner of the right (the plaintiff) sufficient 
opportunity to inspect the works in order to prove his  allegations.  
(6) The importer is entitled to an equal opportunity to inspect any of these 
commodities.  
(7) The committee, in case the infr ingement is proved, is authorized to notify the 
owner of the right of the names and addresses of the sender and addressee of 
the works as well as their  quantities.  
 
Article 29: Precautionary Protective Seizure  
 
The Authority’s  office at the point of entry at the border may stop the procedure for release 
of works upon having prima facie evidence proving existence of copyright infringement, after 
coordination with the customs department at the point of entry. The office shall immediately 
notify The Competent Department to take the necessary measures, in coordination with the 
committee.   
 
Chapter Three 
General Provisions  
 
Article 30: Mandatory Licenses  
 
The provisions regulating the procedures of issuing mandatory licenses shall apply to 
works published for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and licenses shall not be 
granted before the expiration of three years from the publication date of the  edition in 
question, in accordance with the following procedures:  
(1) The Authority shall ensure that copies of the works in printed form or 
reproduced in any similar form are not displayed for sale in the Kingdom by 
the copyright owner or whoever acts on his  behalf, or pursuant to permission 
from him, in response to the purposes referred to in Article (16) of the Law, 
unless such copies are displayed for sale within a continuous period of not less 
than six  months.  
(2) The applicant shall submit proof that he has requested a license from the 
copyright owner but failed to obtain it, or that he was unable to find him after 
exerting necessary  efforts.  
(3) He shall submit proof that he has made such a request to the publisher whose 
name appears on the work but has not rece ived a response from  him.  
(4) No license shall be granted unless it is proved that the author is unknown or 
impossible to contact, and the license applicant submits the data proving such 
and submits the necessary guarantees to fulfill the rights of the copyrig ht 
owner once he applies to claim his right, and the Authority  accepts  these 
guarantees.  
(5) The license shall not be granted before the expiration of a period not less than 
six months from the applicant’s attempts [to obtain a license] from the author 
or the  publisher.  
(6) No license shall be granted if the author or the publisher reprints his work 
during the six -month  period.  
(7) No permission shall be granted if the author has withdrawn from circulation 
all copies of the edition subject of the  application.  
(8) The permission shall not be granted if it is for pure commercial  purposes.   
 
 
 
Article 31: Public Property  
 
 
First:  All unprotected works by Saudi authors or whose period of protection has expired 
in accordance with the provisions of the Law and these Regulations shall become 
public property, and the Authority  shall act as the copyright owner thereon.  
Second : Copyrights in this law applies to all foreign works, which  as of the date of entry into  
force of this law, have not yet fallen into the public domain in the country of origin 
through the expiry of term of  protection.  
 
 
Article 32: Nature of Protection  
 
(1) All intellectual works of whatever type whether literary, scientific or artistic 
shall enjoy protection under the Law and these Regulat ions if they are 
permitted for circulation in the  Kingdom.  
(2) Foreign intellectual works shall enjoy protection in accordance with the 
principles of international agreements relating to copyright to which the 
Kingdom is a party, on the basis of the principle of national  treatment.  
(3) The scope of protection as stated in Article 18 of the Law related to international 
agreements of copyrights is extended to related rights stated in Article 7 of this 
Implementing  Regulations.  
 
 
Article 33: Calculation of Protection Period  
 
(1) Musical and cinematographic works shall enjoy protection for fifty years 
effective from the first production of the work, and the period shall be 
calculated from the end of the Gregorian year in which it was  produced.  
(2) Computer programs shall enjoy protection as literary works for a period not 
less than fifty years from the date of first production if the author is a corporate 
person or is  anonymous.   
 
(3) Protection period of computer programs where the author is a natural person 
shall b e in accordance with the protection specified for other literary  works.  
 
Article 34: Expiration of Protection Period  
 
The author may object to reproduction or sale of his works or making a work derived 
from his original work upon expiry of financial rights  and protection period, in case of damage 
to his honor and reputation or distortion and alteration of the work.  
 
 
Article 35: Effectiveness of the Regulations  
 
These Regulations shall be published  in the Official Gazette and shall be effective after 
two months from the date of publication.