RIYADH — Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) carried out an extensive inspection campaign to uncover stores, which violate intellectual property rights (IPR), specifically the copyright protection system, last Sunday.

SAIP has warned against the promotion or sale of any products or any activities that violate intellectual property rights, and reiterated that it will be strictly imposing relevant penalties to ensure IPR protection, especially concerning digital and paper literary, art products, and trademarks. The inspection follows several awareness campaigns, conducted by SAIP in partnership with competent entities to raise awareness of intellectual property protection and penalties as per relevant laws and regulations.

Complementing SAIP’s ongoing efforts to protect intellectual property rights, the campaign resulted in uncovering some Riyadh-based stores involved in selling devices, constituting IPR infringement.

"The SAIP campaign is an extension of our periodic unscheduled inspection on public establishments and stores, which circulate or deal with products that violate intellectual property rights on any as part of its operations. We are determined to establish the principles of respecting intellectual property rights, and combating the infringement of these rights in the Kingdom," said Yasser Al Dabbasi, Executive Director of the Intellectual Property Rights Protection Department at SAIP.

"Cooperating with partners from the Kingdom's government and private sectors, SAIP is determined to monitor the activities of service providers and companies that involve intellectual property rights to ensure that the rights are honoured, through ongoing awareness campaigns and inspections aimed at apprehending violators," added Al-Dabbasi.

SAIP stressed that it will not tolerate any violation of laws and regulations regarding IPR violation. SAIP also called on citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia to respect intellectual property rights by promptly reporting such violations by visiting SAIP’s official social media channels: @saipksa, email at Saip@Saip.gov.sa , or call its direct customer service number at 920000667. — SG