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Law No. 005/PR/2003 of May 2, 2003 on Protection of Copyright, Neighboring
Rights and Expressions of Folklore
Courtesy translation provided by WIPO, © 2012
Part 1: Copyright and Protection of Expressions of Folklore
Chapter 1: General provisions
Section I: General provisions and scope of application
Article 1: Under the present Law:
1 – "work" means an original creation or all the creations produced by an artist, in
particular those produced using a particular technique;
2 – "original work" means a work whose author can be identified by virtue of its
characteristics or its form;
3 – "derivative work" means a work based on preexisting elements;
4 – "work of joint authorship" means a work in whose creation a number of natural
persons have collaborated;
5 – "composite work" means a work in which a preexisting work is incorporated without
the collaboration of the author of the preexisting work;
6 – "collective work" means a work created by a number of authors at the initiative and
under the authority of a natural or legal person who or which edits, publishes or discloses
it in his name and in which the contributions of the various authors participating in its
creation merge in the whole for which they were created, so that it is impossible to
attribute to each of them a separate right in the whole work once completed;
7 – "audiovisual work" means a work consisting of a series of related images giving an
impression of movement, whether or not accompanied by sounds, and, if accompanied by
sounds, capable of being heard;
8 – "broadcasting" means the wireless transmission of sounds or of images and sounds or
of representations thereof for the purposes of reception by the public; transmission of
this nature by satellite; and the transmission of encrypted signals, where the means of
decryption are provided to the public by the broadcasting organization or with its
consent;
9 – "communication of a work to the public" means the fact of making a work accessible
to the public by means other than the distribution of copies;
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10 – "public communication by cable" means the communication of a work to the public
by wire or by any other means constituted by a material substance;
11 – "to perform" a work means to recite it, play it, dance it or perform it, either directly
or by any device or process or, in the case of an audiovisual work, to show the images in
any sequence whatsoever or to make the sounds accompanying it audible;
12 – "producer" of an audiovisual work means the natural or legal person who or which
takes the initiative and has the responsibility for creating the work;
13 – "entertainment promoter" means any natural or legal person who or which,
occasionally or on a permanent basis, performs, communicates to the public or arranges
for the performance or communication to the public, in an establishment open to the
public and by any means whatsoever, of works protected under the present Law;
14 – "reproduction" means the material fixation of the work by any processes that allow
it to be communicated to the public indirectly, in particular by printing, drawing,
engraving, photography, casting and any process in the graphic and threedimensional
arts, or mechanical, cinematographic, magnetic or digital recording;
For works of architecture, reproduction also consists of the repeated execution of a plan
or blueprint;
15 – "rental" means the transfer of possession of the original or a copy of a work for a
limited period of time, for profitmaking purposes;
16 – "expressions of folklore" means productions consisting of characteristic elements of
the traditional artistic heritage developed and perpetuated by a community of the
Republic of Chad or by individuals who are unknown but are recognized as meeting the
artistic aspirations of such community and including folk tales, folk poetry, folk songs
and instrumental music, folk dancing and entertainments and also the artistic expressions
of rites and productions of folk art.
Article 2: The provisions of the present Law shall apply to:
1 – works of which the author or any other original holder of copyright is a national of
the Republic of Chad or has his habitual residence or headquarters in the Republic of
Chad;
2 – audiovisual works of which the producer is a national of the Republic of Chad or has
his habitual residence or headquarters in the Republic of Chad;
3 works published for the first time in the Republic of Chad or published for the first
time in another country and also published in the Republic of Chad within a period of 30
days;
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4 works of architecture erected in the Republic of Chad;
5 – works that are entitled to protection pursuant to an international treaty to which the
Republic of Chad is a party.
Article 3: The integrity or authorship of works may not be infringed even where,
pursuant to the preceding Article, they are not protected by the law.
The exploitation of such works shall be subject to the collection of royalties by the
Chadian Copyright Office provided for in Article 119 of the present Law, which shall use
them for welfare and cultural purposes for the benefit of Chadian authors and performers.
Section 2: Protected works
Article 4: Original literary, artistic and scientific works shall be protected in accordance
with the provisions of Part 1 of the present Law.
Article 5: The following shall be considered works of the mind under the present Law:
1 – written works (books, brochures and other literary, artistic and scientific writings);
2 – oral works (lectures, addresses, sermons, pleadings and other works of that nature);
3 dramatic or dramaticomusical works;
4 choreographic works, circus acts and feats, and entertainments in dumb show the
realization of which is fixed in writing or in another form;
5 musical compositions with or without words;
6 cinematographic works and other works consisting of sequences of moving images,
with or without sound, referred to together as audiovisual works;
7 works of drawing, painting, architecture, sculpture, engraving and lithography;
8 graphic and typographic works;
9 photographic works and works produced using techniques analogous to photography;
10 – works of applied art;
11 – geographical illustrations and maps;
12 plans, sketches and threedimensional works relating to geography, topography,
architecture and science;
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13 – computer programs;
14 – compilations of data or other information in any form which, by reason of the
selection or arrangement of their contents, constitute intellectual creations;
15 – "expressions of folklore".
Article 6: Translations, adaptations, transformations or arrangements of works of the
mind and of expressions of folklore shall be protected under the present Law, without
prejudice to the rights of the author of the original work. The same shall apply to the
authors of anthologies or collections of various works which, by reason of the selection
and arrangement of their contents, constitute intellectual creations.
Article 7: The title of a work of the mind, provided it is original, shall be protected in the
same way as the work itself.
Even where the work is no longer protected, no one may use such title to identify a work
in the same genre, in circumstances likely to cause confusion.
Article 8: A work shall be deemed created, irrespective of any public disclosure, by
virtue of the mere fact of realization of the author's concept, even if incomplete.
Article 9: The protection afforded by this Law shall not extend to:
1 official texts of a legislative, administrative or judicial nature or to the official
translations thereof;
2 the news of the day;
3 simple facts and data.
Section 3: Copyright holders
Article 10: The provisions of the present Law shall protect the rights of authors in all
works of the mind, whatever their genre, form of expression, merit or intended use,
without any prior formalities.
Article 11: The existence or conclusion of a contract for hire or service by the author of a
work of the mind shall not entail any derogation from the enjoyment of copyright
afforded by the present Law.
Copyright in a work created in this context on behalf of a natural or legal person, private
or public, shall vest originally in the author, unless otherwise stipulated in writing in the
contract.
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Article 12: Authorship shall belong, unless proved otherwise, to the person or persons in
whose name the work is disclosed.
Article 13: A work of joint authorship shall be the joint property of the joint authors.
The joint authors shall exercise their rights by mutual agreement.
In the event of disagreement, one or more of the joint authors may seek a ruling thereon
from the civil court with recognized competence in the matter.
Where the participation of each of the joint authors is of a different kind, each may,
unless otherwise agreed, exploit his personal contribution separately, without prejudice,
however, to the exploitation of the joint work.
Article 14: A composite work shall be the property of the author who created it, subject
to the rights of the author of the preexisting work.
Article 15: A collective work shall, unless proved otherwise, be the property of the
natural or legal person in whose name it is disclosed.
That person shall hold the copyright.
Article 16: The authors of pseudonymous and anonymous works shall enjoy in such
works the rights afforded by the present Law.
They shall be represented in the exercise of these rights by the original editor or
publisher, until such time as they reveal their identity and prove their authorship.
The disclosure of identity referred to in the preceding paragraph may be made by will;
however, any rights previously acquired by third parties shall be retained.
The provisions of the second and third paragraphs shall not apply where the pseudonym
adopted by the author leaves no doubt as to his identity.
Article 17: The natural person or persons responsible for the intellectual creation of an
audiovisual work shall be regarded as the author or authors of that work.
Unless proved otherwise, the following shall be presumed to be the joint authors of an
audiovisual work produced in collaboration:
4 the author of the script;
5 the author of the adaptation;
6 the author of the dialogue;
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7 the author of the musical compositions, with or without words, specially created for
the work;
8 the director.
Where an audiovisual work is based on a preexisting work or script that is still protected,
the authors of the original work shall be assimilated to the authors of the new work.
Article 18: The natural person or persons responsible for the intellectual creation of a
radio work shall be regarded as the author or authors of that work.
The provisions of the last paragraph of the preceding Article shall apply to radio works.
Article 19: Unless otherwise stipulated, software created by one or more employees in
the performance of their duties shall belong to the employer, in whom shall vest all the
rights afforded to the authors.
The first paragraph of the present Article shall also apply to officials of the State, of
public authorities and of public administrative institutions.
Chapter 2: Copyright
Section 1: General provisions
Article 20: The author of a work of the mind shall enjoy, by the mere fact of its creation,
an exclusive incorporeal property right in the work that shall be enforceable against all
persons. This right shall include attributes of an intellectual and economic nature, as
determined by the present Law.
Article 21: The incorporeal property right set out in the preceding Article shall be
independent of ownership of the material object.
The acquirer of such object shall not, by virtue of the acquisition, be vested with any of
the rights set out in the preceding Article. These rights shall vest in the person of the
author or his successors in title, who may not, however, require the owner of the material
object to make the object available to them for the exercise of said rights. Nonetheless,
where manifest abuse by the owner prevents the exercise of the right of disclosure, the
competent court may order any appropriate measure once the case has been referred to it.
Section 2: Moral rights
Article 22: The author shall be entitled to respect for his name, status and work.
This right shall be a strictly personal right.
It shall be perpetual, inalienable and imprescriptible.
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It may be transmitted mortis causa to the author's heirs.
The exercise thereof may be conferred on a third party pursuant to a will.
Article 23: Only the author shall be entitled to disclose his work. He shall determine the
procedure for disclosure and shall lay down the conditions thereof.
After the author's death, the right to disclose his posthumous works shall be exercised,
during their lifetimes, by the executor or executors appointed by the author. If there are
none, or after their death, and unless the author has willed otherwise, this right shall be
exercised in the following order: by the descendants; by a spouse in respect of whom
there is no final judgement of separation dating back more than six (6) years or who has
not remarried; by heirs other than descendants who inherit all or part of the estate; and
by the universal legatees or donees of the totality of the future assets.
This right may be exercised even after the exclusive right of exploitation has expired.
Article 24: In the event of nonexercise or manifest abuse of the right of disclosure by
the deceased author's representatives referred to in the preceding Article, the competent
court hearing the case may order any appropriate measure. The same shall apply where
there are no known successors in title or in the event of abeyance or escheat.
Such matters may be referred to the courts by the Minister responsible for culture.
Article 25: Notwithstanding assignment of his right of exploitation, an author shall enjoy
a right of reconsideration or withdrawal, even after publication of his work, with respect
to the assignee. However, he may exercise such right only on condition that he
indemnify the assignee beforehand for any prejudice which the reconsideration or
withdrawal may cause him. Where the author decides to have his work published after
having exercised the right to reconsider or withdraw, he shall be required to offer his
exploitation rights in the first instance to the assignee that he originally chose and under
the conditions originally determined.
Article 26: An audiovisual work shall be deemed to be completed when the final version
has been established by mutual agreement between the director or, where appropriate, the
joint authors, on the one hand, and the producer, on the other.
Destruction of the master copy of such version shall be prohibited.
Any alteration to such version through the addition, removal or change of any element
thereof shall require the agreement of the persons referred to in the first paragraph.
Any transfer of the audiovisual work to another type of medium with a view to a different
mode of exploitation shall be subject to prior consultation with the director.
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The authors' moral rights may be exercised by those authors only in respect of the
completed audiovisual work.
Article 27: Where one of the authors refuses to complete his contribution to an
audiovisual work or is unable to complete such contribution because of force majeure, he
may not object to the use of that part of his contribution already in existence for the
purpose of completion of the work. He shall have the status of author of such
contribution and shall enjoy the rights deriving therefrom.
Article 28: Unless otherwise stipulated, an author may not oppose the adaptation of
software within the scope of the rights that he has assigned or exercise his right to
reconsider or withdraw.
Article 29: Only the author shall be entitled to make a collection of his articles and
speeches and to publish them or to authorize the publication thereof in such form.
For all works thus published in a newspaper or periodical, the author shall retain the
right, unless otherwise stipulated, to have them reproduced and to exploit them in any
form whatsoever, provided that such reproduction or exploitation is not such as to
compete with the newspaper or periodical concerned.
Article 30: Under all matrimonial regimes and on pain of invalidity of any clause to the
contrary contained in a marriage contract, the right to disclose a work, to lay down the
conditions for its exploitation and to defend its integrity shall remain vested in the spouse
who is the author or in the spouse to whom such rights have been transferred. This right
may not be brought as a dowry or acquired as community property.
The monetary proceeds of the exploitation of a work of the mind or of the total or partial
assignment of the right of exploitation shall be subject to the ordinary law applicable to
matrimonial regimes only where they were acquired during the marriage; the same shall
apply to savings made in this respect.
Legislative provisions relating to the spouses' contributions to household costs shall apply
to the monetary proceeds referred to in the second paragraph of the present Article.
Section 3: Economic rights and limits on the exercise thereof
Article 31: The author of a work of the mind shall have the exclusive right to carry out or
authorize the following acts:
1 – the reproduction of his work;
2 – the public performance of his work;
3 – the translation, adaptation, arrangement or other transformations of his work;
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4 – the distribution of copies of the work to the public by sale or by any other transfer of
ownership;
5 – the commercial rental and public lending of the original or of copies of his work;
6 – the communication of his work to the public by broadcasting or by cable.
Article 32: Rental and lending rights shall not apply to computer programs, where the
program itself is not the essential subject of the rental or loan.
Article 33: Authors of graphic and threedimensional works shall, notwithstanding any
assignment of the original work, have an inalienable right to a share in the proceeds of
any sale of such work by public auction or through a dealer.
The resale royalty shall be set uniformly at 10 per cent and shall apply only where the
sale price is 50,000 CFA francs or more.
This royalty shall be levied on the sale price of each work with no deduction at source.
Article 34: Where a work has been lawfully disclosed, the author may not prohibit:
1 private performances given free of charge exclusively within the family circle;
2 copies or reproductions reserved strictly for the private use of the copier and not
intended for collective use, with the exception of copies of works of art intended to be
used for purposes identical to those for which the original work was created;
3 on condition that the author's name and the source are clearly indicated:
(a) analyses and short quotations justified by the critical, polemic, educational, scientific
or informative nature of the work in which they are incorporated;
(b) press reviews;
(c) the reproduction and dissemination, even in their entirety, through the press or by
broadcasting, as current news, of articles on current political, social, economic or
religious topics, speeches intended for the public made at political, administrative,
judicial or academic gatherings, and sermons, lectures, addresses and other works of that
nature;
4 parody, pastiche and caricature, subject to the rules of the genre;
5 – the use of literary or artistic works as teaching examples by means of publication,
broadcasting or audio or visual recording, provided that such use is not improper and is
not for profitmaking purposes.
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Article 35: As an exception to subparagraph 2 of the preceding Article, where the work
is a computer program, any reproduction without the consent of the copyright holder,
other than the making of a backup copy by the user, shall be unlawful.
Article 36: As an exception to copyright, a library or archive service whose activities are
not directly or indirectly profitmaking may make individual copies of a work by means
of reprographic reproduction:
1 where the work reproduced is an article or a short work or a short extract from a
written work other than a computer program, with or without illustration, published in a
collection of works or in an issue of a newspaper or periodical, and where the purpose of
reproduction is to fulfill the request of a natural person;
2 where the making of such copy is for the purpose of preserving the work and, if
necessary, replacing it or for replacing a copy that has been lost, destroyed or rendered
unusable in the permanent collection of another library or archive service.
Article 37: As an exception to copyright, it shall be permitted to reproduce, broadcast or
communicate by cable to the public an image of a work of architecture, a work of fine art,
a photographic work or a work of applied art that is permanently located in a place open
to the public, except where the image of the work is the main subject of such
reproduction or communication and where it is used for profitmaking purposes.
Article 38: As an exception to copyright, a broadcasting organization may, without the
consent of the author and without payment of separate remuneration, make an ephemeral
recording by means of its own facilities and for the purposes of its own broadcasts of a
work that it is authorized to broadcast. The broadcasting organization shall be required to
destroy such recording within six months of its having been made, unless a longer period
has been agreed with the author of the work thus recorded. However, without such
agreement, a single copy of such recording may be kept for the exclusive purpose of the
conservation of archives.
Section 4: Term of protection
Article 39: The author shall, during his lifetime, enjoy the exclusive right to exploit his
work in any form whatsoever and to derive monetary profit therefrom.
On the author's death, this right shall subsist for his successors in title during the current
calendar year and for seventy (70) years thereafter.
Article 40: In the case of works of joint authorship, with the exception of audiovisual
and radio works of joint authorship, the calendar year taken into account shall be that of
the death of the last surviving joint author.
The term of protection of audiovisual and radio works of joint authorship shall expire
fifty (50) years after the work has been lawfully made accessible to the public or, where
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no such event occurs during the seventy (70) years following the making of the work,
fifty (50) years after its making.
Article 41: In the case of collective works, the duration of the exclusive right shall be
fifty (50) years from January 1 of the calendar year following that in which the work was
published.
Where a collective work is published in installments, the term shall commence on
January 1 of the calendar year following that in which each installment is published.
However, where the work is published in its entirety within twenty (20) years of the
publication of the first installment, the duration of the exclusive right in the whole work
shall end only on expiry of the seventieth (70th) year following that of the publication of
the last installment.
Article 42: In the case of anonymous or pseudonymous works, the duration of the
exclusive right shall be fifty (50) years from January 1 of the calendar year following that
in which the work was published. Where the author or authors make themselves known
before the expiry of that term, the duration of the right of exploitation shall be that
corresponding to the category of the work in question, and the period of legal protection
shall commence in accordance with the provisions of Article 39.
Article 43: In the case of posthumous works, the duration of the exclusive right shall be
fifty (50) years from the date of publication of the work.
Where a posthumous work is disclosed during the fifty (50) years following the author's
death, the right to exploit it shall vest in the author's successors in title. Where the work
is disclosed after expiry of that period, the right shall vest in those who, by succession or
for other reasons, own the work and who publish it or have it published.
Posthumous works shall be published separately, except where they constitute only a
fragment of a work previously published.
They may be added to previously published works by the same author only where the
author's successors in title still hold the exploitation right therein.
Article 44: In the case of computer programs, the rights provided for in the present Law
shall lapse on expiry of a period of fifty (50) years after the creation of such program.
Article 45: In the case of works of applied art, the rights provided for in the Law shall
lapse on expiry of a period of twentyfive (25) years after the creation of such work.
Chapter 3: Exploitation of rights
Section I: General principles
Article 46: Total assignment of future works shall be invalid.
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Article 47: The performance, publishing and audiovisual production contracts referred to
in the present Chapter shall be in writing, on pain of relative invalidity. The same shall
apply to performance authorizations granted free of charge.
In all other cases, the provisions of contract law shall apply.
Article 48: The transfer of copyright must be mentioned specifically in the deed of
assignment and the scope, purpose, place and duration of the exploitation of the rights
assigned must be established.
The assignment of the rights of audiovisual adaptation must be the subject of a written
contract in a document separate from the contract relating to the publication as such of
the printed work.
The assignee shall undertake by such contract to seek exploitation of the right assigned in
compliance with the practice within the profession and, in the case of an adaptation, to
pay the author remuneration in proportion to the revenue received.
Article 49: The author may assign the rights in his work in whole or in part. Such
assignment must include a proportional share of the revenue from the sale or exploitation
for the benefit of the author.
The author's remuneration may, however, be assessed as a lump sum in the following
cases:
1 – where it is impossible in practice to determine the basis for calculating a share;
2 – where there is no means of monitoring the application of the share;
3 where the calculation and monitoring costs would be disproportionate to the desired
results;
4 where the nature or conditions of the exploitation make it impossible to apply the rule
of proportional remuneration, either because the author's contribution does not constitute
one of the essential elements of the intellectual creation of the work or because the use of
the work is merely incidental to the subject of the exploitation;
5 in the event of the assignment of a software program;
6 in the other cases provided for in the present Law.
It shall also be lawful for the parties, at the request of the author, to convert the royalties
deriving from the contracts currently in force into lumpsum annuities for periods to be
determined by the parties.
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Article 50: In the event of assignment of an exploitation right, where the author has
suffered a loss of over seven twelfths as a result of injury or an underestimation of the
anticipated proceeds of the work, he may seek a review of the terms of the contract
relating to price.
Such request may be made only in cases where the work has been assigned against
payment of a lump sum.
The injury shall be assessed taking into consideration the full extent of the exploitation by
the assignee of the works of the author who claims to have been injured.
Article 51: Any assignment clause conferring the right to exploit the work in a form that
was unforeseeable or unforeseen on the date of the contract must be explicit and must
stipulate a share that is correlated to the profits of exploitation.
Article 52: In addition to his monetary rights, the author shall have a general lien on the
debtor's property. The lien shall outlast bankruptcy and courtordered liquidation. It
shall be exercised after employees' salaries have been guaranteed.
Section 2: Publishing contracts
Article 53: A publishing contract shall be a contract under which the author of a work of
the mind or his successors in title assign to a person known as a publisher, under
specified conditions, the right to make or have made a number of copies of the work, and
under which the publisher is required to effect the publication and dissemination thereof.
Article 54: A contract known as a contract at the author's expense shall not constitute a
publishing contract.
Under such contract, the author or his successors in title shall pay to the publisher an
agreed remuneration against which the publisher shall make a number of copies of the
work in the form and in accordance with the modes of expression specified in the
contract, and effect the publication and dissemination thereof.
Such contract shall constitute a contract for services governed by convention, usage and
the provisions of the Civil Code.
Article 55: A contract known as a contract at joint expense shall not constitute a
publishing contract.
Under such contract, the author or his successors in title shall commission a publisher to
make, at his expense, a number of copies of the work in the form and in accordance with
the modes of expression specified in the contract and to effect publication and
dissemination thereof in accordance with the agreement reciprocally contracted to share
the profits and losses of exploitation in the agreed proportion.
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Such contract shall constitute a joint undertaking. It shall be governed, subject to the
provisions of the Civil Code, by convention and usage.
Article 56: It shall be lawful to specify that the author undertakes to grant a preferential
right to a publisher for the publication of his future works in clearly defined genres.
Such right shall be limited for each genre to five new works from the date of signing of
the contract entered into for the first work, or works produced by the author within a
period of five years from the same date.
The publisher shall exercise the right conferred on him by informing the author in writing
of his decision, within a period of three months from the date on which the author
delivers each final manuscript.
Where a publisher enjoying the preferential right has successively refused two new works
submitted by the author in the genre specified in the contract, the author may
immediately and automatically regain his freedom in relation to any future works that he
may produce in that genre. Where the author has received advances for his future works
from the first publisher, however, he must first refund them.
Article 57: Where book publishing is concerned, the author may, subject to a formally
expressed agreement, receive a lumpsum remuneration for the first edition of the
following:
1 scientific or technical works;
2 anthologies and encyclopedias;
3 prefaces, annotations, introductions, presentations;
4 illustrations to a work;
5 limited de luxe editions;
6 prayer books;
7 – translations, at the request of the translator;
8 lowpriced popular editions;
9 lowpriced albums.
Lumpsum remuneration may also be paid for the assignment of rights to or by a person
or a company established abroad.
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Where works of the mind published in newspapers or periodicals of any kind or by press
agencies are concerned, the remuneration of the author, who is bound to the news
publishing company by a contract for hire or service, may also be fixed as a lump sum.
Article 58: The personal, written consent of the author shall be compulsory.
Without prejudice to provisions governing contracts entered into by minors and persons
who have attained majority who are under guardianship, consent shall be required even in
the case of an author without legal capacity, except where he is physically incapable of
giving his consent.
The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall not be applicable where the publishing
contract is signed by the author's successors in title.
Article 59: The author shall guarantee the publisher the undisturbed and, unless
otherwise agreed, exclusive exercise of the right assigned.
He shall be required to ensure respect for this right and to defend it against any
infringements.
Article 60: The author shall put the publisher in a position to produce and distribute
copies of the work.
He must deliver to the publisher, within the period stipulated in the contract, the material
to be published in a form permitting normal production.
Unless otherwise agreed or where it is technically impossible, the material for publication
supplied by the author shall remain the property of the author. The publisher shall be
responsible for it for a period of one year after production has been completed.
Article 61: A publishing contract must indicate the minimum number of copies
constituting the first print run. This obligation shall not apply, however, to contracts
providing for minimum royalties guaranteed by the publisher.
Article 62: The publisher shall be required to produce copies or have them produced
under the conditions, in the form and in accordance with the modes of expression
stipulated in the contract.
He may not make any alterations to the work without the written consent of the author.
Unless otherwise agreed, he shall ensure that the author's name, pseudonym or mark
appears on each copy.
In the absence of a special agreement, the publisher shall effect publication within a
period set in accordance with the practice within the profession.
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In the case of a fixedterm contract, the rights of the assignee shall lapse automatically on
expiry of the term in question without the need for formal notice.
In the three years after such expiry the publisher may, however, sell off, at the normal
price, the copies remaining in stock, unless the author prefers to buy such copies at a
price that shall be set according to expert opinion, in the absence of an amicable
agreement. This option, open to the first publisher, shall not prevent the author from
proceeding with a new edition within a period of 30 months.
Article 63: The publisher shall be required to ensure ongoing and consistent exploitation
and commercial distribution of the work, in accordance with the practice within the
profession.
Article 64: The publisher shall be required to render accounts.
In the absence of special terms laid down in the contract, the author may require the
publisher to produce, at least once a year, a statement indicating the number of copies
produced during the financial year and specifying the date and size of the print runs and
the number of copies in stock.
Except where contrary to normal practice or otherwise agreed, this statement shall also
indicate the number of copies that are unusable or have been destroyed by accident or
because of force majeure and the amount of any royalties owed or paid to the author.
Article 65: The publisher shall be required to furnish the author with all evidence
necessary to establish the accuracy of his accounts.
Where the publisher fails to provide the necessary evidence, he shall be obliged to do so
by the courts.
Article 66: Judicial administration proceedings in respect of the publisher shall not entail
the termination of the contract, unless otherwise stipulated.
Where the company continues to be operated by a receiver or liquidator, all the
publisher's obligations toward the author shall be met by such receiver or liquidator.
In the event of assignment of the publishing company, the purchaser shall be bound by
the obligations of the seller.
Article 67: Where the company's activity has ceased more than three months previously
or where the courts have ordered liquidation, the author may request the termination of
the contract.
The liquidator may not undertake the remaindering or other disposal of copies that have
been produced until at least 15 days after notifying the author of his intention by
registered letter with a request for acknowledgement of receipt.
17
The author shall have a right of preemption in respect of all or some of the copies. In the
absence of agreement, the buyback price shall be set in accordance with expert opinion.
Article 68: The publisher may not transfer the enjoyment of the publishing contract to
third parties, either free of charge or against payment or as a contribution to the assets of
a partnership, independently of his business, without first having obtained the author's
consent.
In the event of the disposal of the business in such a way as seriously to compromise the
author's material or moral interests, the author shall be entitled to obtain reparation even
in the form of termination of the contract.
Where the publishing business was operated as a partnership or a joint enterprise, the
award of the business to one of the former partners or one of the coowners as a result of
the liquidation or division shall under no circumstances be considered assignment.
Article 69: A publishing contract shall come to an end, irrespective of the situations
provided for in ordinary law or in the preceding articles, when the publisher destroys all
the copies.
The contract shall be terminated automatically where, when the author has formally
notified the publisher of an appropriate deadline, the publisher has not published the work
or, where it is out of print, republished it.
A publication shall be deemed to be out of print where two requests for deliveries of
copies addressed to the publisher have not been fulfilled within three months.
Where, in the event of the author's death, a work is incomplete, the contract shall be
terminated in respect of the unfinished part of the work, except as otherwise agreed
between the publisher and the author's successors in title.
Section 3: Performance contracts
Article 70: A performance contract shall be a contract under which the author of a work
of the mind and his successors in title authorize a natural or legal person to perform the
work under conditions that they stipulate.
A contract under which a professional association of authors affords to an entertainment
promoter the faculty of performing, during the term of the contract, the present or future
works that constitute the repertoire of such association, under the conditions laid down by
the author or his successors in title, shall be known as a general performance contract.
Article 71: A performance contract shall be concluded for a limited duration or for a
specified number of communications to the public.
18
Unless exclusive rights are expressly provided for, no monopoly on exploitation shall be
conferred on the entertainment promoter .
The period of validity of the exclusive rights afforded by a playwright may not exceed
five years; the suspension of performances for two consecutive years shall automatically
end such validity.
An entertainment promoter may not transfer the enjoyment of his contract without formal
consent given in writing by the author or his representative.
Article 72: Unless otherwise provided:
1 authorization for the terrestrial broadcast of a work shall not include distribution of
such broadcast by cable, unless it is done simultaneously and in full by the organization
that has received the authorization and without any extension of the geographical area
stipulated in the contract;
2 authorization to broadcast a work shall not be equivalent to authorization to
communicate the broadcast of the work in a place accessible to the public;
3 authorization for the terrestrial broadcast of a work shall not include the broadcast
thereof to a satellite allowing the work to be received through the intermediary of third
party organizations, unless the authors or their successors in title have contractually
authorized such organizations to communicate the work to the public; in this case, the
broadcasting organization shall be exempt from paying any remuneration.
Article 73: An entertainment promoter shall be required to inform the author or his
representatives of the exact program of public performances and to furnish them with a
certified statement of his takings. He shall pay the amount of royalties stipulated on the
due dates specified, directly to the author or his representatives.
Article 74: An entertainment promoter shall be required to effect the public performance
under technical conditions suitable to ensure that the intellectual and moral rights of the
author are respected.
Section 4: Audiovisual production contracts
Article 75: A contract binding the producer to the authors of an audiovisual work, other
than the author of a musical composition with or without words, shall, unless otherwise
stipulated and without prejudice to the rights afforded to the authors, imply the
assignment to the producer of the exclusive exploitation rights in the audiovisual work.
An audiovisual production contract shall not imply the assignment to the producer of the
graphic or theatrical rights in the work.
19
The contract shall specify a list of the elements used in the production of the work that is
conserved and the procedures for conservation.
Article 76: Remuneration shall be payable to the authors for each mode of exploitation.
Subject to the provisions of Article 49, where the public pays a price to receive the
communication of a specified and identifiable audiovisual work, the remuneration shall
be proportional to such price, taking into account any decreasing rates granted by the
distributor to the operator, and shall be paid to the authors by the producer.
Article 77: The author shall guarantee the producer the undisturbed exercise of the rights
assigned.
Article 78: The producer shall be required to ensure that the audiovisual work is
exploited in accordance with the practice within the profession.
Article 79: At least once a year, the producer shall provide the author and the joint
authors with a statement of the revenue from the exploitation of the work for each mode
of exploitation.
At their request, he shall supply them with all evidence necessary to establish the
accuracy of the accounts, in particular a copy of the contracts under which he assigns to
third parties all or some of the rights which he enjoys.
Article 80: Unless otherwise agreed, each of the authors of an audiovisual work may
freely dispose of the part of the work that constitutes his personal contribution with a
view to exploiting it in a different genre, where such exploitation is without prejudice to
the exploitation of the joint work.
Article 81: Judicial administration proceedings in respect of the producer shall not entail
the termination of the audiovisual production contract.
Where the producer or exploiter of the work is involved in proceedings, the
administrator, the receiver or any person involved in the business operations during
bankruptcy or courtordered liquidation shall be bound by all the producer's obligations,
in particular with regard to the joint authors.
In the event of assignment of all or part of the business, or liquidation, the administrator,
the debtor or the liquidator, as the case may be, shall be required to establish a separate
lot for each audiovisual work that may be assigned or auctioned. He shall be obliged to
notify each of the authors and coproducers of the work by registered letter one month
before any decision on assignment or sale by auction, on pain of invalidity. The
purchaser shall likewise be bound by the obligations of the seller.
20
The author and the joint authors shall have a right of preemption in respect of the work,
except where one of the coproducers declares himself a purchaser. In the absence of
agreement, the purchase price shall be set by expert opinion.
Where the company's activity has ceased more than three months previously or where
liquidation has been declared, the author and the joint authors may request the
termination of the audiovisual production contract.
Chapter 4: Protection of "expressions of folklore"
Article 82: “Expressions of folklore” shall belong by their origin to the national heritage.
Article 83: “Expressions of folklore” shall be protected by the present Law against illicit
exploitation and other prejudicial actions.
Article 84: The creation of works derived from “expressions of folklore” (adaptations,
translations, arrangements and other transformations) shall be declared, after creation, to
the Chadian Copyright Office.
Article 85: The following uses of “expressions of folklore” shall be subject to the
authorization of the Chadian Copyright Office, where they are carried out both for profit
making purposes and outside their traditional or customary context:
1 any publication, reproduction and distribution of copies of “expressions of folklore”;
2 any recitation or public performance, any transmission by wire or by wireless means,
and any other form of communication to the public of “expressions of folklore”.
Article 86: The authorization of the Chadian Copyright Office provided for in Article
119 shall be granted against payment of a royalty, the amount of which shall be fixed in
accordance with the conditions for the use of protected works in the same category. The
proceeds of such royalty shall be managed by the Chadian Copyright Office and used for
cultural or welfare purposes for the benefit of the communities of origin, authors and
performers in Chad.
Article 87: Copies of “expressions of folklore” and also copies of translations,
arrangements and other transformations of such expressions produced without
authorization or without being declared, as appropriate, may not be imported, exported or
distributed.
Article 88: The exceptions to copyright set out in this Law shall apply mutatis mutandis
to “expressions of folklore”.
Article 89: Any publication and communication to the public of an identifiable
expression of folklore must indicate its source in an appropriate manner, by mentioning
the community and/or the geographical place from which the expression originates.
21
Article 90: “Expressions of folklore” developed and perpetuated in a foreign country
shall be protected by the present Law, subject to reciprocity or on the basis of treaties or
other agreements that are binding on the Republic of Chad.
Part 2: Protection of Neighboring Rights
Chapter 1: General provisions
Article 91: Neighboring rights shall include the rights of performers, producers of
phonograms or videograms and audiovisual communication companies.
Article 92: Neighboring rights shall not prejudice copyright. Consequently, no provision
in the present Part of the Law shall be interpreted in such a way as to limit the exercise of
copyright by the holders thereof.
Article 93: For the purposes of the present Part of the Law:
1 – "performers" means natural persons who act, sing, recite, declaim, play in, dance or
otherwise perform literary or artistic works, variety, circus or puppet acts, or “expressions
of folklore”;
2 – "fixation" means the embodiment of sounds, images, or sounds and images in a
material medium that is permanent or sufficiently stable to allow them to be viewed,
reproduced or communicated in any manner whatsoever during a period of time that is
more than provisional;
3 – "phonogram" means any exclusively audio fixation of the sounds of a performance or
of other sounds, or of a representation of sounds, other than in the form of a fixation
incorporated in a cinematographic or other audiovisual work;
4 – "producer of a phonogram" means the natural or legal person who or which takes the
initiative and has the responsibility for the first fixation of a phonogram;
5 – "videogram" means the fixation of a series of related images, with or without sound,
giving an impression of movement, on cassette, disk or other material media;
6 – "producer of a videogram" means the natural or legal person who or which takes the
initiative and has the responsibility for the first fixation of a videogram;
7 – "publication" of a fixed performance, a phonogram or a videogram means the making
available to the public of copies of the fixed performance or of the phonogram or
videogram, with the consent of the rightholder, and provided that copies are made
available to the public in reasonable quantity;
22
8 – "communication to the public" of a performance, a phonogram or a videogram means
the transmission to the public by any means otherwise than by broadcasting, of sounds,
images, or images and sounds of a performance, or the sounds, images, or images and
sounds or representations of sounds, images, or images and sounds fixed in a phonogram
or videogram.
Article 94: The provisions of the present Part of the Law shall apply to performances
where:
1 the performer is a national of the Republic of Chad;
2 the performance takes place on the territory of the Republic of Chad;
3 – the performance is fixed in a phonogram that is protected under the present Part of the
Law;
4 a performance that has not been fixed in a phonogram is incorporated in a broadcast
program that is protected under the present Part of the Law.
They shall apply to phonograms and videograms where:
1 the producer is a national of the Republic of Chad;
2 the first fixation has been made in the Republic of Chad.
They shall apply to broadcast programs where:
1 the headquarters of the organization is located on the territory of the Republic of
Chad;
2 the broadcast program has been transmitted from a station located on the territory of
the Republic of Chad.
The provisions of the present Part of the Law shall also apply to performances,
phonograms or videograms and broadcast programs that are protected pursuant to the
international agreements to which the Republic of Chad is a party.
Article 95: The exceptions to copyright set out in Part 1, Articles 34 and 38, of the Law
shall apply mutatis mutandis to neighboring rights.
Chapter 2: Neighboring rights
Section 1: Rights of performers
Article 96: The performer shall be entitled to respect for his name, status and
performance.
23
This inalienable and imprescriptible right shall be a strictly personal right.
It shall be transferable to his heirs for the protection of the performance and of the
memory of the deceased.
Article 97: The following acts shall be subject to the written consent of the performer:
1 the fixation of his nonfixed performance;
2 the reproduction of the fixation of his performance;
3 the distribution of copies of a fixation of his performance by sale or by any other form
of transfer of ownership;
4 – rental or public lending;
5 the broadcasting of his performance, except where the broadcast is made by means of
a fixation of the performance or where it is a retransmission authorized by the
broadcasting organization that was the first to transmit the performance;
6 the communication to the public of his performance, except where such
communication is made by means of a fixation of the performance or where it is made by
means of a broadcast of the performance.
Article 98: Unless otherwise provided:
1 the broadcasting authorization shall not imply authorization to permit other
broadcasting organizations to transmit the performance;
2 the broadcasting authorization shall not imply authorization to fix the performance;
3 the authorization to broadcast and fix the performance shall not imply authorization to
reproduce the fixation;
4 the authorization to fix the performance and to reproduce the fixation shall not imply
authorization to broadcast the performance by means of the fixation or of reproductions
thereof.
Article 99: The duration of performers' economic rights shall be fifty (50) years from:
1 – January 1 of the calendar year following that of fixation, in the case of performances
fixed in phonograms or videograms;
2 – January 1 of the calendar year following that of performance, in the case of
performances that are not fixed in phonograms or videograms.
24
Article 100: The signing of a contract concluded between a performer and a producer for
the production of an audiovisual work shall constitute authorization to fix and reproduce
the performer's performance and to communicate it to the public.
Such contract shall establish separate remuneration for each mode of exploitation of the
work.
Section 2: Rights of producers of phonograms
Article 101: The following acts shall be subject to the written consent of the phonogram
producer:
1 – the direct or indirect reproduction of his phonogram;
2 – the import of copies of his phonogram with a view to the distribution thereof to the
public;
3 – the distribution to the public of copies of his phonogram by sale or by any other form
of transfer of ownership;
4 – rental or public lending;
5 – communication to the public other than that mentioned in Article 90.
Article 102: The rights afforded to a phonogram producer under the preceding Article,
and also the copyright and the rights of the performers at his disposal, in the work fixed
in such phonogram may not be assigned separately.
Article 103: The duration of a phonogram producer's rights shall be fifty (50) years from
January 1 of the calendar year following that of the fixation.
Section 3: Equitable remuneration for phonograms for commercial use
Article 104: Where a phonogram has been published for commercial purposes, the
performer and the producer may not oppose:
1 – the direct communication thereof in a public place, provided that it is not used in
entertainment;
2 the broadcast thereof, or the simultaneous distribution in full of such broadcast by
cable.
Such uses of phonograms published for commercial purposes, irrespective of the place of
fixation of such phonograms, shall entitle performers and producers to remuneration.
25
Article 105: The remuneration referred to in the preceding Article shall be paid by the
persons who or which use phonograms published for commercial purposes. The rate of
remuneration and the procedures for payment thereof shall be established by the Chadian
Copyright Office in consultation with users.
Remuneration shall be collected on behalf of the successors in title and shared out equally
among the performers and producers by the Chadian Copyright Office.
Article 106: Persons using phonograms published for commercial purposes shall be
required, when they discharge their obligations, to provide the professional copyright
organization with the exact programs of the uses that they are making of such
phonograms and all the documents necessary for the distribution of the royalties.
Section 4: Rights of producers of videograms
Article 107: The following acts shall be subject to the written consent of the videogram
producer:
1 – the direct or indirect reproduction of his videogram;
2 – the import of copies of his videogram with a view to distribution to the public;
3 – the distribution to the public of copies of his videogram by sale or by any other form
of transfer of ownership;
4 – rental or public lending;
5 – the communication to the public of his videogram.
Article 108: The rights afforded to a videogram producer under the preceding Article,
the copyright and the rights of the performers at his disposal in the work fixed in such
videogram may not be assigned separately.
Article 109: The duration of a videogram producer's rights shall be fifty (50) years from
January 1 of the calendar year following that of the fixation.
Section 5: Rights of audiovisual communication companies
Article 110: Organizations that exploit an audiovisual communication service shall be
known as audiovisual communication companies.
Article 111: The following acts shall be subject to the written consent of the audiovisual
communication company:
1 – the retransmission of its programs;
26
2 – the fixation of its programs;
3 – the reproduction of a fixation of its programs and the making available thereof to the
public by sale, hire or exchange, the broadcasting thereof and the communication thereof
to the public in a publicly accessible place against payment of an entry fee.
Article 112: The duration of the rights afforded to audiovisual communication
companies shall be twentyfive (25) years from January 1 of the calendar year following
that of the first communication of the program to the public.
Part 3: Common provisions
Chapter 1: Remuneration for private copying
Single section
Article 113: The authors and performers of works fixed in phonograms or videograms
and the producers of such phonograms or videograms shall be entitled to remuneration
for the reproduction of such works intended for strictly personal and private use, not for
collective use, and produced pursuant to Article 34 of the present Law.
Article 114: Remuneration for private copying shall be paid by the manufacturer or
importer of recording media that can be used for the reproduction for private use of
works fixed in phonograms or videograms, when such media are put into circulation in
the Republic of Chad.
The amount of the remuneration shall be based on the type of medium and the length of
recording that it allows. It shall be assessed according to the lumpsum method.
Article 115: The types of medium, the remuneration rates and the procedures for
payment of the remuneration shall be laid down in regulations; such remuneration may
not be less than 10 per cent of the price of the medium.
Article 116: Remuneration for private copying shall be collected on behalf of the
successors in title by the Chadian Copyright Office.
Remuneration for the private copying of phonograms shall be shared out as follows: half
to the authors, one quarter to the performers and one quarter to the producers.
Remuneration for the private copying of videograms shall be shared out equally among
the authors, performers and producers.
Article 117: Remuneration for private copying shall be reimbursable where the recording
medium is acquired for their own use or production by:
1 audiovisual communication companies;
27
2 producers of phonograms and videograms and persons who or which reproduce
phonograms or videograms on behalf of the producers thereof;
3 legal persons or organizations, a list of which shall be drawn up by the Ministry
responsible for culture, that use recording media for the purpose of assisting visually or
aurally impaired persons.
Article 118: The manufacture, assembly, sale, exchange, hire or making available to the
public in any way of any digital audio recording apparatus that does not have a digital
audio anticopying device shall be subject to prior authorization by the Ministry
responsible for culture.
The same authorization shall be required for any apparatus, process, device or service, the
purpose of which is to remove, bypass, deactivate and more generally make inoperative a
digital audio anticopying device or a device for limiting the possibility of copying or
recopying.
A regulatory text shall lay down the rules exempting certain digital audio recording
apparatuses from the preceding provisions, where such apparatuses are intended
exclusively for lawful professional purposes.
The present Article and any provisions that may be enacted under the foregoing
paragraphs shall not impede the implementation of the provisions of Chapter 1 of this
part of the Law concerning recording media that can be used by means of digital
processes.
Chapter 2: Copyright Office
Article 119: A public administrative institution known as the Chadian Copyright Office,
abbreviated as BUTDRA, is hereby created under the Ministry responsible for culture.
Pursuant to the present Law, BUTDRA shall be responsible for the collective
management of copyright and neighboring rights.
In that capacity it shall be responsible for:
1 – the organization and representation of authors of literary and artistic works and their
successors in title;
2 – the promotion and defense of the professional, material and moral interests of such
authors and their successors in title;
3 – the promotion of national creativity in the literary, artistic and scientific fields;
28
4 – exclusive administration on the territory of the Republic of Chad of all the economic
rights of its members that it may have determined;
5 – the safeguarding and promotion of Chad's folk heritage.
A decree adopted by the Council of Ministers on the advice of the National Coordinating
Body of Chadian Artists or of any other appropriate body shall determine its functions,
organization and operating procedures.
Article 120: The provisions of the preceding Article shall not in any way prevent holders
of copyright and neighboring rights from personally exercising the rights afforded to
them under the present Law.
Article 121: The Chadian Copyright Office shall manage the interests of foreign
organizations on the national territory within the framework of any arrangements or
agreements that it may conclude with them.
Part 4
Chapter 1: Securities and penalties
Section 1: General provisions
Article 122: All disputes relating to the implementation of the present Law that fall
within the jurisdiction of the judiciary shall be brought before the competent courts,
without prejudice to the right of the injured party to institute criminal proceedings under
ordinary law.
The Chadian Copyright Office shall have capacity to institute legal proceedings in
defense of the interests for which it is responsible.
However, in the event of a dispute between an artist and the Chadian Copyright Office,
the Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court shall be competent to hear the case.
Article 123: In addition to statements by police detectives or criminal investigation
officers, factual evidence of any infringement of the provisions of the present Law may
result from the reports of sworn officials of the Chadian Copyright Office.
Section 2: Protective measures
Article 124: The civil court competent to hear proceedings instituted under civil law in
accordance with the present Law shall be empowered, subject to the conditions that it
deems reasonable, to issue an order prohibiting the commission or ordering the cessation
of the infringement of any right protected under the present Law.
29
Article 125: Police detectives, justices of the peace and sworn officials of the Chadian
Copyright Office shall be required, at the request of any author or holder of neighboring
rights, their successors in title, licensees or the Chadian Copyright Office, to seize copies
that have been produced in violation of copyright or neighboring rights.
Where the desired effect of the seizure is to delay or suspend public performances that
are already under way or have been announced, special authorization must be obtained
from the President of the court of minor jurisdiction, by an order issued on request. The
President of the court may also, in the same manner, order:
1 the suspension of any manufacturing currently under way to reproduce unlawfully a
work, performance, phonogram or videogram;
2 the seizure, irrespective of the day and time, of copies constituting an unlawful
reproduction of a work, performance, phonogram or videogram that has been or is being
produced, of the revenue obtained, and of copies used unlawfully;
3 the seizure of the revenue from any reproduction, performance or broadcast, by any
means whatsoever, of a work of the mind, performance, phonogram or videogram,
effected in violation of copyright or neighboring rights.
In the orders referred to above, the President of the court may order the distrainer to
provide appropriate security first.
The provisions of the present Article shall also apply in the event of improper
exploitation.
Article 126: The distrainee or the garnishee may request the President of the court to
order the release of the seizure, to limit its effects or to authorize the resumption of
manufacture or of public performances, under the authority of an administrator appointed
as custodian, for the benefit of whomsoever it may concern, of the proceeds of such
manufacture or exploitation.
Where the President of the court allows the request of the distrainee or garnishee, he may,
hearing the case in chambers, order the applicant to deposit a sum as security against any
damages to which the author may be entitled.
Article 127: The measures taken pursuant to Article 114 above shall be lifted
automatically in the event of a nonsuit or discharge.
In the absence of criminal proceedings, the measures shall also be lifted automatically
where the distrainer fails to refer the matter to the competent civil court within 30 days of
the seizure.
30
Article 128: Authorities of all kinds, and in particular the police and the gendarmerie,
shall be required, at the request of the Chadian Copyright Office, to give their assistance
and, where appropriate, their protection.
Section 3: Civil and criminal penalties
Article 129: A victim of the infringement of a right protected under the present Law may
obtain payment, by the infringer, of damages to compensate for the prejudice that they
have suffered and the payment of the costs arising from the infringing act, including legal
costs.
Article 130: In the event of an infringement of the author's resale royalty right, the
purchaser and ministerial officials may be ordered, jointly and severally, to pay damages
to the beneficiaries of that right.
Article 131: Article 209 of the Penal Code is hereby amended as follows:
Any publication of writings or of a musical composition, drawing, painting or any other
production, printed or engraved, in whole or in part, any reproduction, translation,
adaptation, arrangement or other transformation, any representation, rental, public
lending or communication to the public of works published in Chad or abroad, in
violation of the laws and regulations on the ownership of authors, shall be punished with
imprisonment for a term of three (3) months to two (2) years or with a fine of fifty
thousand (50,000) to five million (5,000,000) CFA francs or both.
Anyone who sells, exports and imports infringing works shall be punished with the same
penalties.
Article 132: Anyone who infringes one of the rights of performers, producers of
phonograms or videograms or audiovisual communication companies, as set out in the
present Law, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of three (3) months to two
(2) years or with a fine of fifty thousand (50,000) to five million (5,000,000) CFA francs
or both.
Anyone who sells, imports or exports phonograms or videograms made without the
consent of the producer or the performer, where such consent is required, shall be
punished with the same penalties.
Failure to pay the remuneration due to the author, the performer or the phonogram or
videogram producer for private copying or public communication and for the
broadcasting of commercial phonograms, and also infringements of the provisions of
Article 106 of the present Law, shall be punishable with the same fine as provided for in
the first paragraph.
Article 133: In the event of repetition of the infringements referred to in the two
preceding Articles, the penalties incurred shall be doubled.
31
In addition, the court may order the closure, either permanent or temporary – for a period
not exceeding five (5) years of the establishment operated by the offender.
Article 134: In all the cases provided for in the three preceding articles, the court may
order the confiscation of all or part of the revenue obtained as a result of the
infringement, all the infringing or unlawfully reproduced phonograms, videograms,
objects or copies, and equipment specially installed for the purpose of committing the
offense.
Equipment and revenue or portions of revenue that have been confiscated shall be
returned to the victims to compensate them for the damage done to them; the surplus
compensation or the full compensation, where there is no confiscation of equipment or of
revenue, shall be settled in accordance with ordinary procedures.
The court shall order the destruction of all unlawfully produced copies.
The court may also order, at the offender's expense, the display of the judgement
pronouncing the conviction and the publication thereof in full or in the form of extracts in
such newspapers as it may designate, provided that the costs of such publication do not
exceed the maximum amount of the fine incurred.
Article 135: A user who fails to request the required consent or to declare it to the
Chadian Copyright Office shall be punished with a fine equal to double the amount of
revenue due; the minimum shall be five thousand (5,000) francs.
Part 5: Final provisions
Article 136: The provisions of the present Law shall also apply to works that were
created, performances that were fixed, phonograms or videograms that were fixed and
broadcasts that were created prior to its entry into force, provided that such works,
performances, phonograms or videograms and broadcasts have not yet fallen into the
public domain by reason of the expiry of the term of protection that they enjoyed under
the previous legislation or under the legislation of their country of origin.
The legal effects of acts and contracts concluded prior to the entry into force of this Law
shall, however, remain entirely unaffected.
Article 137: All earlier conflicting provisions, in particular Law No. 57298 of March
11, 1957 on Literary and Artistic Property and Decree No. 58447 on Public
Administration Regulations for the Implementation of the Law in Overseas Territories,
are hereby repealed.
Where necessary, regulations shall specify the terms of implementation of the present
Law.
32
Article 138: The present Law shall be registered and published in the Official Gazette of
the Republic and enforced as the law of the land.
Done at N'Djamena, May 2, 2003
IDRISS DEBY
- Première partie : Droit d’Auteur et Protection des « Expressions du Folklore ».
- Deuxième partie : De la protection des droits voisins
- Chapitre 1 : Des généralités
- Chapitre 2 : Des droits voisins
- Section 1 : Des droits des articles – interprètes ou exécutants
- Section 2 : Droits des producteurs de phonogrammes
- Section 3 : De la rémunération équitable de phonogramme à usage commercial
- Section 4 : Des droits des producteurs de vidéogrammes
- Section 5 : Des droits des entreprises de communication audiovisuelle
- Troisième Partie : Dispositions communes
- Quatrième partie
- Cinquième partie : Dispositions finales
Loi n° 005/PR/2003 du 2 mai 2003 portant Protection du Droit d’Auteur, des Droits Voisins et des Expressions du Folklore
Première partie : Droit d’Auteur et Protection des « Expressions du Folklore ».
Chapitre Premier : Des dispositions générales
Section I : Des généralités et du champ d’application
Article 1 : Aux termes de la présente loi, on entend par :
1 - « Œuvre », une création originale, ensemble des productions d’un artiste, notamment celle réalisée au moyen d’une technique particulière.
2 - « Œuvre originale », celle qui, dans ses éléments caractéristiques ou dans sa forme, permet d’individualiser son auteur ;
3 - Œuvre dérivée », celle fondée sur des éléments préexistants ;
4 - « Œuvre de collaboration », celle à la création de la quelle ont concouru plusieurs personnes physiques ;
5 - « Œuvre composite », celle à laquelle est incorporée une œuvre préexistante, sans collaboration de l’auteur de cette dernière ;
6 - « Œuvre collective », celle créée par plusieurs auteurs à l’initiative et sous la responsabilité d’une personne physique ou morale qui l’édite, la publie ou la divulgue sous son nom, et dans laquelle la contribution des divers auteurs participant à son élaboration se fond dans l’ensemble en vue duquel elle est conçue, sans qu’il soit possible d’attribuer à chacun d’eux un droit distinct sur l’ensemble réalisé ;
7 - « Œuvre audiovisuelle », celle qui consiste en une série d’images liées entre elles donnant une impression de mouvement, accompagnée ou non de sons et, si elle est accompagnée de sons, susceptible d’être audible ;
8 - « Radiodiffusion », la transmission sans fil de sons ou d’images et de sons, ou des représentations de ceux-ci, aux fins d’une réception par le public, la transmission de cette nature effectuée par satellite, la transmission de signaux cryptés lorsque les moyens de décryptage sont fournis au public par l’organisme de radiodiffusion ou avec son consentement ;
9 - « Communication d’une œuvre au public », le fait de rendre l’œuvre accessible au public par des moyens autres que la distribution d’exemplaires ;
10 - « Communication publique par câble », la communication d’une œuvre au public par fil ou par toute autre voie constituée par une substance matérielle ;
11 - « Représenter ou exécuter », une œuvre, le fait de la réciter, la jouer, la danser ou l’interpréter, soit directement soit au moyen de tout dispositif ou procédé ou, dans le cas d’une œuvre audiovisuelle, en montrer des images dans un ordre quel qu’il soit ou rendre audibles les sons qui l’accompagnent ;
12 - « Producteur » d’une œuvre audiovisuelle, la personne physique ou morale qui prend l’initiative et la responsabilité de réaliser l’œuvre ;
13 - Entrepreneur de spectacles », toute personne physique ou morale qui, occasionnellement ou de façon permanente représente exécute, communique au public, fait représenter exécuter ou communiquer au public dans un établissement admettant le public et par quelques moyens que ce soit, des oeuvres protégées au sens de la présente loi ;
14 - Reproduction », la fixation matérielle de l’œuvre par tous procédés qui permettent de la communiquer au public d’une manière indirecte, notamment par imprimerie, dessin, gravure, photographie, moulage et tout procédé des arts graphiques et plastiques, enregistrement mécanique, cinématographique, magnétique ou numérique ;
Pour les oeuvres d’architecture, la reproduction consiste également en l’exécution répétée d’un plan ou d’un projet type ;
15 - « Location », le transfert de la possession de l’original ou d’une copie de l’œuvre pour une durée limitée, dans un but lucratif ;16 - « Expressions de folklore », les productions se composant d’éléments caractéristiques du patrimoine artistique traditionnel développé et perpétué par une communauté de la République du Tchad ou par des individus inconnus mais reconnus comme répondant aux aspirations artistiques de cette communauté et comprenant les contes populaires, la poésies populaire, les chansons et la musique instrumentales populaires, les danses et spectacles populaires ainsi que les expressions artistiques rituelles et les productions d’art populaire.
Article 2 : Les dispositions de la présente loi s’appliquent :
1 - aux oeuvres dont l’auteur ou tout autre titulaire originaire du droit d’auteur est ressortissant de la République du Tchad, ou a sa résidence habituelle ou son siège en République du Tchad ;
2 - aux oeuvres audiovisuelles dont le producteur est ressortissant de la République du Tchad, ou a sa résidence habituelle ou son siège en République du Tchad ;
3 - aux oeuvres publiées pour la première fois en République du Tchad ou publiées pour la première fois dans un autre pays et publiées également en République du Tchad dans un délai de 30 jours ;
4 - aux oeuvres d’architecture érigées en République du Tchad ;
5 - aux oeuvres qui ont droit à la protection en vertu d’un Traité international auquel la République du Tchad est partie.
Article 3 : Aucune atteinte ne peut toutefois être portée à l’intégrité ou à la paternité des oeuvres qui, en vertu de l’article précédent, ne bénéficient pas de la protection de la loi.
L’exploitation de ces oeuvres donnera lieu à la perception de redevances par le Bureau tchadien du droit d’auteur prévu à l’article 119 de la présente Loi qui les consacrera à des fins sociales et culturelles au profit des auteurs et des artistes - interprètes ou exécutants tchadiens.
Section 2 : Des oeuvres protégées
Article 4 : Les oeuvres littéraires, artistiques et scientifiques originales bénéficient de la protection conformément aux dispositions de cette première partie de la présente Loi.
Article 5 : Sont considérés comme oeuvres de l’esprit au sens de la présente Loi :
1 - les oeuvres écrites (livres, brochures et autres écrits littéraires, artistiques et scientifiques) ;
2 - les oeuvres orales (conférences, allocutions, sermons, plaidoiries et autres de même nature) ;
3 - les oeuvres dramatiques ou dramatico-musicales ;
4 - les oeuvres chorégraphiques, les numéros et tours de cirque, les pantomimes, dont la mise en œuvre est fixée par écrit ou autrement ;
5 - les compositions musicales avec ou sans paroles ;
6 - les oeuvres cinématographiques et autres oeuvres consistant en des séquences animées d’images, sonorisées ou non, dénommées ensemble oeuvres audiovisuelles ;
7 - les oeuvres de dessin, de peinture, d’architecture, de sculpture, de gravure, de lithographie ;
8 - les oeuvres graphiques et typographiques ;
9 - les oeuvres photographiques et celles réalisées à l’aide de techniques analogues à la photographie ;
10 - les oeuvres des arts appliqués ;
11 - les illustrations, les cartes géographiques ;
12 - les plans, croquis et ouvrages plastiques relatifs à la géographie, à la topographie, à l’architecture et aux sciences ;
13 - les programmes d’ordinateur ;
14 - les compilations de données ou d’autres éléments, sous quelque forme que ce soit, qui, par le choix ou la disposition des matières, constituent des créations intellectuelles ;
15 - les « expressions du folklore ».
Article 6 : Les traductions, d’adaptations, transformations ou arrangements des oeuvres de l’esprit et d’expressions du folklore jouissent de la protection instituée par la présente loi sans préjudice des droits de l’auteur de l’œuvre originale. Il en est de même des auteurs d’anthologies ou recueils d’œuvres diverses qui, par le choix et la disposition des matières constituent des créations intellectuelles.
Article 7 : Le titre d’une œuvre de l’esprit, dès lors qu’il présente un caractère original, est protégé comme l’œuvre elle-même.
Nul ne peut, même si l’œuvre n’est plus protégée, utiliser ce titre pour individualiser une même œuvre du même genre, dans des conditions susceptibles de provoquer une confusion.
Article 8 : L’œuvre est réputée créée, indépendamment de toute divulgation publique, du seul fait de la réalisation, même inachevée, de la conception de l’auteur.
Article 9 : La protection prévue par cette loi ne s’étend pas :
1 - aux textes officiels de nature législative, administrative ou judiciaire, ni à leurs traductions officielles ;
2 - aux nouvelles du jour ;
3 - aux simples faits et données.
Section 3 : Des titulaires, du droit d’auteur
Article 10 : Les dispositions de la présente loi protègent les droits des auteurs sur toutes les oeuvres de l’esprit, quels qu’en soient le genre, la forme d’expression, le mérite ou la destination, sans aucune formalité préalable.
Article 11 : L’existence ou la conclusion d’un contrat de louage d’ouvrage ou de service par l’auteur d’une œuvre de l’esprit n’emporte aucune dérogation à la jouissance des droits d’auteur tels que reconnus par la présente loi.
Les droits d’auteur sur l’œuvre créée dans ce cadre pour le compte d’une personne physique ou morale, privée ou publique, appartient à titre originaire à l’auteur, sauf stipulation contraire écrite découlant du contrat.
Article 12 : La qualité d’auteur appartient, sauf preuve contraire, à celui, à celle ou à ceux sous le nom de qui l’œuvre est divulguée.
Article 13 : L’œuvre de collaboration est la propriété commune des coauteurs.
Les coauteurs doivent exercer leurs droits d’un commun accord.
En cas de désaccord, les coauteurs ou l’un d’eux peuvent saisir la juridiction civile reconnue compétente en la matière en vue de trancher les litiges.
Lorsque la participation de chacun des coauteurs relève de genres différents, chacun peut, sauf convention contraire, exploiter séparément sa contribution personnelle, sans toutefois porter préjudice à l’exploitation de l’œuvre commune.
Article 14 : L’œuvre composite est la propriété de l’auteur qui l’a réalisée, sous réserve des droits de l’auteur de l’œuvre préexistante.
Article 15 : L’œuvre collective est, sauf preuve contraire, la propriété de la personne physique ou morale sous le nom de laquelle elle est divulguée.
Cette personne est investie des droits de l’auteur.
Article 16 : Les auteurs des oeuvres pseudonymes et anonymes jouissent sur celles-ci des droits reconnus par la présente loi.
Ils sont représentés dans l’exercice de ces droits par l’éditeur ou le publicateur originaire, tant qu’ils n’ont pas fait connaître leur identité civile et justifier de leur qualité.
La révélation de l’identité prévue à l’alinéa précédent peut être faite par testament : toutefois, sont maintenus les droits qui auraient pu être acquis par des tiers antérieurement.
Les dispositions des deuxième et troisième alinéas ne sont pas applicables lorsque le pseudonyme adopté par l’auteur ne laisse aucun doute sur son identité civile.
Article 17 : Ont la qualité d’auteur d’une œuvre audiovisuelle la ou les personnes physiques qui réalisent la création intellectuelle de cette œuvre.
Sont présumés, sauf preuve contraire, coauteurs d’une œuvre audiovisuelle réalisée en collaboration :
4 - l’auteur du scénario ;
5 - l’auteur de l’adaptation ;
6 - l’auteur du texte parlé ;
7 - l’auteur des compositions musicales avec ou sans paroles spécialement réalisées pour l’œuvre ;
8 - le réalisateur.
Lorsque l’œuvre audiovisuelle est tirée d’une œuvre ou d’un scénario préexistant encore protégé, les auteurs de l’œuvre originaire sont assimilés aux auteurs de l’œuvre nouvelle.
Article 18 : Ont la qualité d’auteur d’une œuvre radiophonique la ou les personnes physiques qui assurent la création intellectuelle de cette œuvre.
Les dispositions du dernier alinéa de l’article précédent sont applicables aux oeuvres radiophoniques.
Article 19 : Sauf stipulation contraire, le logiciel créé par un ou plusieurs employés dans l’exercice de leurs fonctions appartient à l’employeur auquel sont dévolus tous les droits reconnus aux auteurs.
Les dispositions du premier alinéa du présent article sont également applicables aux agents de l’Etat, des collectivités publiques et des établissements publics à caractère administratif.
Chapitre 2 : Des droits d’auteur
Section 1 : Des généralités
Article 20 : L’auteur d’une œuvre de l’esprit jouit sur cette œuvre, du seul fait de sa création, d’un droit de propriété incorporelle exclusif et opposable à tous. Ce droit comporte des attributs d’ordre intellectuel et patrimonial déterminés par la présente loi.
Article 21 : La propriété incorporelle définie par l’article précédent est indépendante de la propriété de l’objet matériel.
L’acquéreur de cet objet n’est investi, du fait de cette acquisition, d’aucun des droits prévus par les dispositions de l’article précédent. Ces droits subsistent en la personne de l’auteur ou de ses ayants droit qui, pourtant, ne pourront exiger du propriétaire de l’objet matériel la mise à leur disposition de cet objet pour l’exercice desdits droits. Néanmoins, en cas d’abus notoire du propriétaire empêchant l’exercice du droit de divulgation, le Tribunal compétent peut prendre toute mesure appropriée après en avoir été saisi.
Section 2 : Des droits moraux
Article 22 : L’auteur jouit du droit au respect de son nom, de sa qualité et de son œuvre.
Ce droit est attaché à sa personne.
Il est perpétuel, inaliénable et imprescriptible.
Il est transmissible à cause de sa mort aux héritiers de l’auteur.
L’exercice peut être conféré à un tiers en vertu de dispositions testamentaires.
Article 23 : L’auteur a seul le droit de divulguer son œuvre. Il détermine le procédé de divulgation et en fixe les conditions.
Après sa mort, le droit de divulgation de ses oeuvres posthumes est exercé durant leur vie par le ou les exécuteurs testamentaires désignés par l’auteur. A défaut, ou après leur décès, et sauf volonté contraire de l’auteur, ce droit est exercé dans l’ordre suivant : par les descendants, par le conjoint contre lequel n’existe par un jugement de l’autorité de la chose jugée de séparation de corps de plus de six (6) ans ou qui n’a pas contacté un nouveau mariage, par les héritiers autres que les descendants qui recueillent tout ou partie de la succession et par les légataires universels ou donataires de l’universalité des biens à venir.
Ce droit peut s’exercer même après l’expiration du droit exclusif d’exploitation.
Article 24 : En cas de non-usage ou d’abus notoire du droit de divulgation de la part des représentants de l’auteur décédé visés à l’article précédent, le Tribunal compétent saisi peut ordonner toute mesure appropriée. Il en est de même s’il n’y a pas d’ayants droit connu ou en cas de vacance ou de déshérence.
Le Tribunal peut être saisi notamment par le Ministre chargé de la Culture.
Article 25 : Nonobstant la session de son droit d’exploitation, l’auteur, même postérieurement à la publication de son œuvre, jouit d’un droit de repentir ou de retrait vis-à-vis du cessionnaire. Il ne peut toutefois exercer ce droit qu’à charge d’indemniser préalablement le cessionnaire du préjudice que ce repentir ou ce retrait peut lui causer. Lorsque, postérieurement à l’exercice de son droit de repentir ou de retrait, l’auteur décide de faire publier son œuvre, il est tenu d’offrir par priorité ses droits d’exploitation au cessionnaire qu’il avait originairement choisi et aux conditions originairement déterminées.
Article 26 : L’œuvre audiovisuelle est réputée achevée lorsque la version définitive a été établie d’un commun accord entre, d’une part, le réalisateur ou, éventuellement, les coauteurs et, d’autre part, le producteur.
Il est interdit de détruire la matrice de cette version.
Toute modification de cette version par addition, suppression ou changement d’un élément quelconque exige l’accord des personnes mentionnées au premier alinéa.
Tout transfert de l’œuvre audiovisuelle sur un autre type de support en vue d’un autre mode d’exploitation doit être précédé de la consultation du réalisateur.
Les droits moraux des auteurs ne peuvent être exercés par eux que sur l’œuvre audiovisuelle achevée.
Article 27 : Si l’un des auteurs refuse d’achever sa contribution à l’œuvre audiovisuelle ou se trouve dans l’impossibilité d’achever cette contribution par suite de force majeure, il ne pourra s’opposer à l’utilisation, en vue de l’achèvement de l’œuvre, de la partie de cette contribution déjà réalisée. Il aura pour cette contribution, la qualité d’auteur et jouira des droits qui en découlent.
Article 28 : Sauf stipulation contraire, l’auteur ne peut s’opposer à l’adaptation du logiciel dans la limite des droits qu’il a cédés, ni exercer son droit de repentir ou de retrait.
Article 29 : L’auteur seul a le droit de réunir ses articles et ses discours en recueil et de les publier ou d’en autoriser la publication sous cette forme.
Pour toutes les oeuvres publiées ainsi dans un journal ou recueil périodique, l’auteur conserve, sauf stipulation contraire, le droit de les faire reproduire et de les exploiter, sous quelque forme que ce soit, pourvu que cette reproduction ou cette exploitation ne soit pas de nature à faire concurrence à ce journal ou à ce recueil périodique.
Article 30 : Sous tous les régimes matrimoniaux et à peine de nullité de toutes clauses contraires portées au contrat de mariage, le droit de divulguer l’œuvre, de fixer les conditions de son exploitation et d’en défendre l’intégrité reste propre à l’époux auteur ou à celui des époux auteurs ou à celui des époux à qui de tels droits ont été transmis. Ce droit ne peut être apporté en dot, ni acquis par la communauté ou par une société d’acquêts.
Les produits pécuniaires provenant de l’exploitation d’une œuvre de l’esprit ou de la cession totale ou partielle du droit d’exploitation sont soumis au droit commun des régimes matrimoniaux, uniquement lorsqu’ils ont été acquis pendant le mariage, il en est de même des économies réalisées de ces chefs.
Les dispositions législatives relatives à la contribution des époux, aux charges du ménage, sont applicables aux produits pécuniaires visés au deuxième alinéa du présent article.
Section 3 : Des droits patrimoniaux et limites de leur exercice
Article 31 : L’auteur d’une œuvre de l’esprit a le droit exclusif de faire ou d’autoriser les actes suivants :
1 - la reproduction de son œuvre ;
2 - la représentation ou l’exécution de son œuvre en public ;
3 - la traduction, l’adaptation, l’arrangement ou d’autres transformations de son œuvre ;
4 - la distribution d’exemplaires de l’œuvre au public par la vente ou par tout autre transfert de propriété ;
5 - la location commerciale et le prêt public de l’original ou d’exemplaires de son œuvre ;
6 - la communication de son œuvre au public par radiodiffusion ou par câble.
Article 32 : Les droits de location et de prêt ne sont pas applicables en ce qui concerne les programmes d’ordinateur, lorsque le programme lui-même n’est pas l’objet essentiel de la location ou du prêt.
Article 33 : Les auteurs d’œuvres graphiques et plastiques ont, nonobstant toute cession de l’œuvre originale, un droit inaliénable de participation au produit de toute vente de cette œuvre faite aux enchères publiques ou par l’intermédiaire d’un commerçant.
Première partie : Droit d’Auteur et Protection des « Expressions du Folklore ».
Chapitre Premier : Des dispositions générales
Section I : Des généralités et du champ d’application
Article 1 : Aux termes de la présente loi, on entend par :
1 - « Œuvre », une création originale, ensemble des productions d’un artiste, notamment celle réalisée au moyen d’une technique particulière.
2 - « Œuvre originale », celle qui, dans ses éléments caractéristiques ou dans sa forme, permet d’individualiser son auteur ;
3 - Œuvre dérivée », celle fondée sur des éléments préexistants ;
4 - « Œuvre de collaboration », celle à la création de la quelle ont concouru plusieurs personnes physiques ;
5 - « Œuvre composite », celle à laquelle est incorporée une œuvre préexistante, sans collaboration de l’auteur de cette dernière ;
6 - « Œuvre collective », celle créée par plusieurs auteurs à l’initiative et sous la responsabilité d’une personne physique ou morale qui l’édite, la publie ou la divulgue sous son nom, et dans laquelle la contribution des divers auteurs participant à son élaboration se fond dans l’ensemble en vue duquel elle est conçue, sans qu’il soit possible d’attribuer à chacun d’eux un droit distinct sur l’ensemble réalisé ;
7 - « Œuvre audiovisuelle », celle qui consiste en une série d’images liées entre elles donnant une impression de mouvement, accompagnée ou non de sons et, si elle est accompagnée de sons, susceptible d’être audible ;
8 - « Radiodiffusion », la transmission sans fil de sons ou d’images et de sons, ou des représentations de ceux-ci, aux fins d’une réception par le public, la transmission de cette nature effectuée par satellite, la transmission de signaux cryptés lorsque les moyens de décryptage sont fournis au public par l’organisme de radiodiffusion ou avec son consentement ;
9 - « Communication d’une œuvre au public », le fait de rendre l’œuvre accessible au public par des moyens autres que la distribution d’exemplaires ;
10 - « Communication publique par câble », la communication d’une œuvre au public par fil ou par toute autre voie constituée par une substance matérielle ;
11 - « Représenter ou exécuter », une œuvre, le fait de la réciter, la jouer, la danser ou l’interpréter, soit directement soit au moyen de tout dispositif ou procédé ou, dans le cas d’une œuvre audiovisuelle, en montrer des images dans un ordre quel qu’il soit ou rendre audibles les sons qui l’accompagnent ;
12 - « Producteur » d’une œuvre audiovisuelle, la personne physique ou morale qui prend l’initiative et la responsabilité de réaliser l’œuvre ;
13 - Entrepreneur de spectacles », toute personne physique ou morale qui, occasionnellement ou de façon permanente représente exécute, communique au public, fait représenter exécuter ou communiquer au public dans un établissement admettant le public et par quelques moyens que ce soit, des oeuvres protégées au sens de la présente loi ;
14 - Reproduction », la fixation matérielle de l’œuvre par tous procédés qui permettent de la communiquer au public d’une manière indirecte, notamment par imprimerie, dessin, gravure, photographie, moulage et tout procédé des arts graphiques et plastiques, enregistrement mécanique, cinématographique, magnétique ou numérique ;
Pour les oeuvres d’architecture, la reproduction consiste également en l’exécution répétée d’un plan ou d’un projet type ;
15 - « Location », le transfert de la possession de l’original ou d’une copie de l’œuvre pour une durée limitée, dans un but lucratif ;16 - « Expressions de folklore », les productions se composant d’éléments caractéristiques du patrimoine artistique traditionnel développé et perpétué par une communauté de la République du Tchad ou par des individus inconnus mais reconnus comme répondant aux aspirations artistiques de cette communauté et comprenant les contes populaires, la poésies populaire, les chansons et la musique instrumentales populaires, les danses et spectacles populaires ainsi que les expressions artistiques rituelles et les productions d’art populaire.
Article 2 : Les dispositions de la présente loi s’appliquent :
1 - aux oeuvres dont l’auteur ou tout autre titulaire originaire du droit d’auteur est ressortissant de la République du Tchad, ou a sa résidence habituelle ou son siège en République du Tchad ;
2 - aux oeuvres audiovisuelles dont le producteur est ressortissant de la République du Tchad, ou a sa résidence habituelle ou son siège en République du Tchad ;
3 - aux oeuvres publiées pour la première fois en République du Tchad ou publiées pour la première fois dans un autre pays et publiées également en République du Tchad dans un délai de 30 jours ;
4 - aux oeuvres d’architecture érigées en République du Tchad ;
5 - aux oeuvres qui ont droit à la protection en vertu d’un Traité international auquel la République du Tchad est partie.
Article 3 : Aucune atteinte ne peut toutefois être portée à l’intégrité ou à la paternité des oeuvres qui, en vertu de l’article précédent, ne bénéficient pas de la protection de la loi.
L’exploitation de ces oeuvres donnera lieu à la perception de redevances par le Bureau tchadien du droit d’auteur prévu à l’article 119 de la présente Loi qui les consacrera à des fins sociales et culturelles au profit des auteurs et des artistes - interprètes ou exécutants tchadiens.
Section 2 : Des oeuvres protégées
Article 4 : Les oeuvres littéraires, artistiques et scientifiques originales bénéficient de la protection conformément aux dispositions de cette première partie de la présente Loi.
Article 5 : Sont considérés comme oeuvres de l’esprit au sens de la présente Loi :
1 - les oeuvres écrites (livres, brochures et autres écrits littéraires, artistiques et scientifiques) ;
2 - les oeuvres orales (conférences, allocutions, sermons, plaidoiries et autres de même nature) ;
3 - les oeuvres dramatiques ou dramatico-musicales ;
4 - les oeuvres chorégraphiques, les numéros et tours de cirque, les pantomimes, dont la mise en œuvre est fixée par écrit ou autrement ;
5 - les compositions musicales avec ou sans paroles ;
6 - les oeuvres cinématographiques et autres oeuvres consistant en des séquences animées d’images, sonorisées ou non, dénommées ensemble oeuvres audiovisuelles ;
7 - les oeuvres de dessin, de peinture, d’architecture, de sculpture, de gravure, de lithographie ;
8 - les oeuvres graphiques et typographiques ;
9 - les oeuvres photographiques et celles réalisées à l’aide de techniques analogues à la photographie ;
10 - les oeuvres des arts appliqués ;
11 - les illustrations, les cartes géographiques ;
12 - les plans, croquis et ouvrages plastiques relatifs à la géographie, à la topographie, à l’architecture et aux sciences ;
13 - les programmes d’ordinateur ;
14 - les compilations de données ou d’autres éléments, sous quelque forme que ce soit, qui, par le choix ou la disposition des matières, constituent des créations intellectuelles ;
15 - les « expressions du folklore ».
Article 6 : Les traductions, d’adaptations, transformations ou arrangements des oeuvres de l’esprit et d’expressions du folklore jouissent de la protection instituée par la présente loi sans préjudice des droits de l’auteur de l’œuvre originale. Il en est de même des auteurs d’anthologies ou recueils d’œuvres diverses qui, par le choix et la disposition des matières constituent des créations intellectuelles.
Article 7 : Le titre d’une œuvre de l’esprit, dès lors qu’il présente un caractère original, est protégé comme l’œuvre elle-même.
Nul ne peut, même si l’œuvre n’est plus protégée, utiliser ce titre pour individualiser une même œuvre du même genre, dans des conditions susceptibles de provoquer une confusion.
Article 8 : L’œuvre est réputée créée, indépendamment de toute divulgation publique, du seul fait de la réalisation, même inachevée, de la conception de l’auteur.
Article 9 : La protection prévue par cette loi ne s’étend pas :
1 - aux textes officiels de nature législative, administrative ou judiciaire, ni à leurs traductions officielles ;
2 - aux nouvelles du jour ;
3 - aux simples faits et données.
Section 3 : Des titulaires, du droit d’auteur
Article 10 : Les dispositions de la présente loi protègent les droits des auteurs sur toutes les oeuvres de l’esprit, quels qu’en soient le genre, la forme d’expression, le mérite ou la destination, sans aucune formalité préalable.
Article 11 : L’existence ou la conclusion d’un contrat de louage d’ouvrage ou de service par l’auteur d’une œuvre de l’esprit n’emporte aucune dérogation à la jouissance des droits d’auteur tels que reconnus par la présente loi.
Les droits d’auteur sur l’œuvre créée dans ce cadre pour le compte d’une personne physique ou morale, privée ou publique, appartient à titre originaire à l’auteur, sauf stipulation contraire écrite découlant du contrat.
Article 12 : La qualité d’auteur appartient, sauf preuve contraire, à celui, à celle ou à ceux sous le nom de qui l’œuvre est divulguée.
Article 13 : L’œuvre de collaboration est la propriété commune des coauteurs.
Les coauteurs doivent exercer leurs droits d’un commun accord.
En cas de désaccord, les coauteurs ou l’un d’eux peuvent saisir la juridiction civile reconnue compétente en la matière en vue de trancher les litiges.
Lorsque la participation de chacun des coauteurs relève de genres différents, chacun peut, sauf convention contraire, exploiter séparément sa contribution personnelle, sans toutefois porter préjudice à l’exploitation de l’œuvre commune.
Article 14 : L’œuvre composite est la propriété de l’auteur qui l’a réalisée, sous réserve des droits de l’auteur de l’œuvre préexistante.
Article 15 : L’œuvre collective est, sauf preuve contraire, la propriété de la personne physique ou morale sous le nom de laquelle elle est divulguée.
Cette personne est investie des droits de l’auteur.
Article 16 : Les auteurs des oeuvres pseudonymes et anonymes jouissent sur celles-ci des droits reconnus par la présente loi.
Ils sont représentés dans l’exercice de ces droits par l’éditeur ou le publicateur originaire, tant qu’ils n’ont pas fait connaître leur identité civile et justifier de leur qualité.
La révélation de l’identité prévue à l’alinéa précédent peut être faite par testament : toutefois, sont maintenus les droits qui auraient pu être acquis par des tiers antérieurement.
Les dispositions des deuxième et troisième alinéas ne sont pas applicables lorsque le pseudonyme adopté par l’auteur ne laisse aucun doute sur son identité civile.
Article 17 : Ont la qualité d’auteur d’une œuvre audiovisuelle la ou les personnes physiques qui réalisent la création intellectuelle de cette œuvre.
Sont présumés, sauf preuve contraire, coauteurs d’une œuvre audiovisuelle réalisée en collaboration :
4 - l’auteur du scénario ;
5 - l’auteur de l’adaptation ;
6 - l’auteur du texte parlé ;
7 - l’auteur des compositions musicales avec ou sans paroles spécialement réalisées pour l’œuvre ;
8 - le réalisateur.
Lorsque l’œuvre audiovisuelle est tirée d’une œuvre ou d’un scénario préexistant encore protégé, les auteurs de l’œuvre originaire sont assimilés aux auteurs de l’œuvre nouvelle.
Article 18 : Ont la qualité d’auteur d’une œuvre radiophonique la ou les personnes physiques qui assurent la création intellectuelle de cette œuvre.
Les dispositions du dernier alinéa de l’article précédent sont applicables aux oeuvres radiophoniques.
Article 19 : Sauf stipulation contraire, le logiciel créé par un ou plusieurs employés dans l’exercice de leurs fonctions appartient à l’employeur auquel sont dévolus tous les droits reconnus aux auteurs.
Les dispositions du premier alinéa du présent article sont également applicables aux agents de l’Etat, des collectivités publiques et des établissements publics à caractère administratif.
Chapitre 2 : Des droits d’auteur
Section 1 : Des généralités
Article 20 : L’auteur d’une œuvre de l’esprit jouit sur cette œuvre, du seul fait de sa création, d’un droit de propriété incorporelle exclusif et opposable à tous. Ce droit comporte des attributs d’ordre intellectuel et patrimonial déterminés par la présente loi.
Article 21 : La propriété incorporelle définie par l’article précédent est indépendante de la propriété de l’objet matériel.
L’acquéreur de cet objet n’est investi, du fait de cette acquisition, d’aucun des droits prévus par les dispositions de l’article précédent. Ces droits subsistent en la personne de l’auteur ou de ses ayants droit qui, pourtant, ne pourront exiger du propriétaire de l’objet matériel la mise à leur disposition de cet objet pour l’exercice desdits droits. Néanmoins, en cas d’abus notoire du propriétaire empêchant l’exercice du droit de divulgation, le Tribunal compétent peut prendre toute mesure appropriée après en avoir été saisi.
Section 2 : Des droits moraux
Article 22 : L’auteur jouit du droit au respect de son nom, de sa qualité et de son œuvre.
Ce droit est attaché à sa personne.
Il est perpétuel, inaliénable et imprescriptible.
Il est transmissible à cause de sa mort aux héritiers de l’auteur.
L’exercice peut être conféré à un tiers en vertu de dispositions testamentaires.
Article 23 : L’auteur a seul le droit de divulguer son œuvre. Il détermine le procédé de divulgation et en fixe les conditions.
Après sa mort, le droit de divulgation de ses oeuvres posthumes est exercé durant leur vie par le ou les exécuteurs testamentaires désignés par l’auteur. A défaut, ou après leur décès, et sauf volonté contraire de l’auteur, ce droit est exercé dans l’ordre suivant : par les descendants, par le conjoint contre lequel n’existe par un jugement de l’autorité de la chose jugée de séparation de corps de plus de six (6) ans ou qui n’a pas contacté un nouveau mariage, par les héritiers autres que les descendants qui recueillent tout ou partie de la succession et par les légataires universels ou donataires de l’universalité des biens à venir.
Ce droit peut s’exercer même après l’expiration du droit exclusif d’exploitation.
Article 24 : En cas de non-usage ou d’abus notoire du droit de divulgation de la part des représentants de l’auteur décédé visés à l’article précédent, le Tribunal compétent saisi peut ordonner toute mesure appropriée. Il en est de même s’il n’y a pas d’ayants droit connu ou en cas de vacance ou de déshérence.
Le Tribunal peut être saisi notamment par le Ministre chargé de la Culture.
Article 25 : Nonobstant la session de son droit d’exploitation, l’auteur, même postérieurement à la publication de son œuvre, jouit d’un droit de repentir ou de retrait vis-à-vis du cessionnaire. Il ne peut toutefois exercer ce droit qu’à charge d’indemniser préalablement le cessionnaire du préjudice que ce repentir ou ce retrait peut lui causer. Lorsque, postérieurement à l’exercice de son droit de repentir ou de retrait, l’auteur décide de faire publier son œuvre, il est tenu d’offrir par priorité ses droits d’exploitation au cessionnaire qu’il avait originairement choisi et aux conditions originairement déterminées.
Article 26 : L’œuvre audiovisuelle est réputée achevée lorsque la version définitive a été établie d’un commun accord entre, d’une part, le réalisateur ou, éventuellement, les coauteurs et, d’autre part, le producteur.
Il est interdit de détruire la matrice de cette version.
Toute modification de cette version par addition, suppression ou changement d’un élément quelconque exige l’accord des personnes mentionnées au premier alinéa.
Tout transfert de l’œuvre audiovisuelle sur un autre type de support en vue d’un autre mode d’exploitation doit être précédé de la consultation du réalisateur.
Les droits moraux des auteurs ne peuvent être exercés par eux que sur l’œuvre audiovisuelle achevée.
Article 27 : Si l’un des auteurs refuse d’achever sa contribution à l’œuvre audiovisuelle ou se trouve dans l’impossibilité d’achever cette contribution par suite de force majeure, il ne pourra s’opposer à l’utilisation, en vue de l’achèvement de l’œuvre, de la partie de cette contribution déjà réalisée. Il aura pour cette contribution, la qualité d’auteur et jouira des droits qui en découlent.
Article 28 : Sauf stipulation contraire, l’auteur ne peut s’opposer à l’adaptation du logiciel dans la limite des droits qu’il a cédés, ni exercer son droit de repentir ou de retrait.
Article 29 : L’auteur seul a le droit de réunir ses articles et ses discours en recueil et de les publier ou d’en autoriser la publication sous cette forme.
Pour toutes les oeuvres publiées ainsi dans un journal ou recueil périodique, l’auteur conserve, sauf stipulation contraire, le droit de les faire reproduire et de les exploiter, sous quelque forme que ce soit, pourvu que cette reproduction ou cette exploitation ne soit pas de nature à faire concurrence à ce journal ou à ce recueil périodique.
Article 30 : Sous tous les régimes matrimoniaux et à peine de nullité de toutes clauses contraires portées au contrat de mariage, le droit de divulguer l’œuvre, de fixer les conditions de son exploitation et d’en défendre l’intégrité reste propre à l’époux auteur ou à celui des époux auteurs ou à celui des époux à qui de tels droits ont été transmis. Ce droit ne peut être apporté en dot, ni acquis par la communauté ou par une société d’acquêts.
Les produits pécuniaires provenant de l’exploitation d’une œuvre de l’esprit ou de la cession totale ou partielle du droit d’exploitation sont soumis au droit commun des régimes matrimoniaux, uniquement lorsqu’ils ont été acquis pendant le mariage, il en est de même des économies réalisées de ces chefs.
Les dispositions législatives relatives à la contribution des époux, aux charges du ménage, sont applicables aux produits pécuniaires visés au deuxième alinéa du présent article.
Section 3 : Des droits patrimoniaux et limites de leur exercice
Article 31 : L’auteur d’une œuvre de l’esprit a le droit exclusif de faire ou d’autoriser les actes suivants :
1 - la reproduction de son œuvre ;
2 - la représentation ou l’exécution de son œuvre en public ;
3 - la traduction, l’adaptation, l’arrangement ou d’autres transformations de son œuvre ;
4 - la distribution d’exemplaires de l’œuvre au public par la vente ou par tout autre transfert de propriété ;
5 - la location commerciale et le prêt public de l’original ou d’exemplaires de son œuvre ;
6 - la communication de son œuvre au public par radiodiffusion ou par câble.
Article 32 : Les droits de location et de prêt ne sont pas applicables en ce qui concerne les programmes d’ordinateur, lorsque le programme lui-même n’est pas l’objet essentiel de la location ou du prêt.
Article 33 : Les auteurs d’œuvres graphiques et plastiques ont, nonobstant toute cession de l’œuvre originale, un droit inaliénable de participation au produit de toute vente de cette œuvre faite aux enchères publiques ou par l’intermédiaire d’un commerçant.