- Copyright Law Royal Decree No. M/412 Rajab, 1424
Copyright Law
Royal Decree No. M/41
2 Rajab, 1424
Article 1: Definitions
The following terms, wherever used in this Law, shall have the meanings following them, unless the context requires otherwise.
Work:
Any literary, scientific or artistic work.
Joint Work:
A work composed by two or more natural or corporate persons whether the contribution of each is separable or not.
Collective Work:
The work collectively composed by a group at the instruction of a person, natural or corporate, who undertakes its publication under his name or administration, where the work of the contributors is integrated in the general objective sought by that natural or corporate person, so that no contribution of any of the participants may be separated or singled out.
Audio Work:
Any audio fixation of a specific performance or sound, regardless of the means of fixation.
Audio-Visual Work:
Any work produced for simultaneous audio and visual use, consisting of a series of related images, accompanied by sound and recorded on an appropriate means and shown by suitable devices.
Derivative Work:
Work based on a pre-existing work.
Author:
The person who creates a work.
Performers:
The persons who act, recite, sing or play roles or participate in performing by any other means in literary or artistic works.
Publication:
Making copies of a work to meet public need.
Copying:
Producing a copy or more of one of the literary, artistic or scientific works on a material means, including any sound or visual recording.
Folklore:
Shall mean all literary, artistic or scientific works which are assumed to have been created on Saudi territory and transmitted from one generation to the next and constitute part of the traditional Saudi cultural and artistic heritage.
Broadcasting:
Transmission of a work, performance or an audio or visual recording to the public, using wires or wireless methods or any other means of transmission, to be received by the public, including transmission via satellite.
Committee:
The competent Committee formed to review violations resulting from the implementation of the provisions of this Law.
Ministry:
The Ministry of Culture and Information.
Minister:
The Minister of Culture and Information.
Implementing Regulations:
The implementing regulations of this Law.
Chapter One
Protected Works
Article 2: Original Works
This Law shall protect the works created in the fields of literature, art and sciences, irrespective of their type, means of expression, importance or purpose of authorship, such as:
Article 3: Derivative works
This Law shall also protect:
(5) Databases, whether they are mechanically readable or can be read in any other manner, if they are creative as to selection or arrangement of their contents.
Copyright protection enjoyed by the authors of the works mentioned in the above paragraphs shall in no way jeopardize the protection enjoyed by the authors of the original works.
Article 4: Works excluded from protection:
Protection prescribed by this Law shall not cover the following: