Iranian Parliament Studies Intellectual Property Bill

EghtesadOnline: The Iranian Parliament is set to review an intellectual property bill in the coming days.

News ID: ۷۴۷۴۵۸

29 May 2019

Hassan Norouzi, an MP from Tehran, told news website Peivast, “Majlis Research Center has delivered a report on the bill that is being reviewed by Majlis Judicial and Legal Commission.”

The country's copyright and intellectual property laws date back to almost 50 years with some changes made throughout the years.

On various occasions, ICT authorities in Tehran have called for the introduction of new copyright laws and a mechanism for enforcing it, Financial Tribune reported.

Tech firms and online businesses are highly dependent on preserving their intellectual property. Therefore, with their exponential growth in Iran, ICT authorities have called on lawmakers to introduce a new framework for enforcing copyrights.

ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi has repeatedly pointed out that the country's copyright and intellectual property laws are outdated and need to be revised.

Abolhassan Firouzabadi, the head of Iran’s High Council of Cyberspace, has urged the judiciary “to introduce a legal framework for enforcing copyright laws”.

“The judiciary should take effective measures to protect original works of developers and put an end to online piracy,” he said.

“Iran’s ICT sector has grown exponentially over the years. Unless officials take necessary measures and address the legal void, a substantial part of the economy will be hampered.”

The ICT minister is also of the opinion that “Iran’s outdated copyright law has hindered the ICT sector.”

According to Jahromi, local copyright laws date back to half a century and are simply unfit for modern-day business.

One of the other hurdles in this and other key sectors is that the country does not recognize international copyright conventions, which has also hampered ties between local businesses and international developers.