Qatari authorities catch reseller with pirate software

Authorities in Qatar have raided a PC reseller and confiscated around 150 CDs of pirated software.

The raid, which was carried out by Microsoft Gulf and the Qatar Ministry of Economy, caught the trader dealing in counterfeit software, including Microsoft Windows XP.

Microsoft participated in the raid through its role as a member of the Business Software Alliance (BSA), including providing information that the target was trading in pirated software.

Abdullah Ahmed Qayed, Head of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Office Commercial Affairs Department, Qatar Ministry of Economy commented: “As a leader in IT infrastructure development throughout the Middle East, Qatar will not tolerate criminal acts against intellectual property rights, particularly software piracy. We will continue to identify and prosecute violators of our IPR laws; we shall also strengthen our partnerships with private organizations such as the BSA who share our commitment to eliminating this illegal trade domestically and regionally. The Qatar Ministry of Economy will continue its vigilance in safeguarding our country’s rapidly-developing IT sector.”

Qatar has a software piracy rate of 54%, according to figures from the BSA and IDC Global Software Piracy Study 2007.

“Qatar’s favourable commercial and economic policies have led to the phenomenal growth of its IT sector. Unfortunately, this success has also resulted in illegal and unlicensed software proliferating in the market, which has the potential to inflict serious damage on the country’s reputation as an emerging regional IT hub. We appreciate the government’s efforts, particularly through the Ministry of Economy, to ensure that the country’s progressive IT-building activities are not negatively impacted,” added Jawad Al Redha, BSA Co-Chairman in the Middle East.

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