QUOTE
Illegal market flourishes despite concerted efforts
By Taylor Luck
AMMAN - Downtown is often an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) activist’s nightmare. With scores of customers frequenting shops, kiosks and even street vendors peddling the latest releases in movies, video games and software, it would seem that few Amman residents respect the Kingdom’s Copyright Law.
A popular item for street merchants in east Amman is video games, which are often subject to high taxes and customs duties. Children crowd around the street stalls, which offer illegally pirated versions of best-selling games at between JD3 and JD5 a copy.
Nine-year-old Mohammad said that he and his five siblings pooled together their pocket money to buy a used game console, but soon found they could not afford to purchase video games from stores.
“I went to one store and saw them selling for JD30 to JD40,” he noted, adding that he now goes downtown every Friday to find the latest games.
In an adjacent stand, software discs are displayed on the sidewalk for sale. The two most consistent sellers are TOEFL and Tawjihi study guides as well as graphic design applications, according to 40-year-old merchant Ahmad Mustafa.
“University students come here because they cannot afford to purchase them from stores… JD50 for a CD? For shame,” he said, adding that many business professionals browse his wares for the latest software applications.
Bassam, a 34-year-old engineer, said he purchases his company’s needs either from shops on Gardens Street or at kiosks downtown out of necessity, not callous disregard for the law.
“The prices software companies place on their products is extreme. How can we afford to start a company when we have to pay JD2,000 just for the software?” he remarked, adding that software costs are more than three months’ rent for his architecture graphic design studio.
Television serials are another hot-selling item.
Khalil, 22, works at his family’s DVD kiosk, which boldly displays its name on its two-storied structure.
For JD4 one can purchase a season of television shows from the US or Europe, all DVD quality, he boasted. Offering movies at JD1 per disc, his family’s business has been so successful that it has opened branches in more affluent Amman neighbourhoods.
The shop owner said that although his kiosk has been in operation for several years, he has faced no problems with the authorities.
“They don’t care. Some of them are my best customers,” he claimed.
According to National Library Department (NLD) Director Mamoun Talhouni, the open market for merchants dealing in pirated goods is coming to an end.
“We have referred all of these stalls to the courts numerous times, confiscated thousands of discs and levied fines on them. If they say business is good, they are lying,” Talhouni told The Jordan Times on Thursday.
With NLD personnel inspecting kiosks and the Kingdom’s courts imposing stiffer fines and penalties against violators, all that is left to put an end to the industry is closures, he said.
Under Article 36 of the Jordanian Copyright Law, the minister of culture has the authority to close down shops and institutions breaching IPR.
But the most active agent in shutting down violators is the court, which is authorised to shut down any violator’s business under the law.
“We have requested the courts to close down the shops, and we are currently awaiting decisions regarding several cases,” Talhouni said, pointing out that some stores have been referred to the court three times.
The Kingdom’s courts, however, face several obstacles in closing down these businesses, according to Amman Court of First Instance Judge Nehad Hussban.
“The court cannot just instantaneously close down a shop because a complaint was received,” Hussban told The Jordan Times yesterday, adding that several elements slow down the court’s ability to process such cases.
For example, many plaintiffs fail to follow up on their complaints, leaving the court with little evidence to bring against vendors, she said.
Even when authorities such as the NLD confiscate thousands of pieces of merchandise and present them as evidence, the court must prove that the items are indeed pirated, Hussban noted.
“The court usually resorts to having experts inspect the discs to verify whether they are legal or not, which is a long process,” she said.
Even when a violation of the Copyright Law is proven in court, it is then up to the judge’s discretion as to what penalty to hand down based on the size of the infraction, the judge said.
She also noted that although there are several parties working to bring such violations to light, their work is disjointed, which takes the court even more time in processing the cases.
“Institutions such as the National Library and the Customs Department need to work under one umbrella so we can speed up the judicial process,” she said, adding that it could take several months to issue a verdict and carry it through.
Perhaps the greatest challenge facing the court is the sheer volume of infractions, according to Hussban, who said that with each new case several more arise.
“It is a flourishing market, so it is not easy to control,” Hussban acknowledged.
Khalil agreed.
“We’re the only business that hasn’t been hurt by the rise in prices. People just keep coming,” he added.
By Taylor Luck
AMMAN - Downtown is often an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) activist’s nightmare. With scores of customers frequenting shops, kiosks and even street vendors peddling the latest releases in movies, video games and software, it would seem that few Amman residents respect the Kingdom’s Copyright Law.
A popular item for street merchants in east Amman is video games, which are often subject to high taxes and customs duties. Children crowd around the street stalls, which offer illegally pirated versions of best-selling games at between JD3 and JD5 a copy.
Nine-year-old Mohammad said that he and his five siblings pooled together their pocket money to buy a used game console, but soon found they could not afford to purchase video games from stores.
“I went to one store and saw them selling for JD30 to JD40,” he noted, adding that he now goes downtown every Friday to find the latest games.
In an adjacent stand, software discs are displayed on the sidewalk for sale. The two most consistent sellers are TOEFL and Tawjihi study guides as well as graphic design applications, according to 40-year-old merchant Ahmad Mustafa.
“University students come here because they cannot afford to purchase them from stores… JD50 for a CD? For shame,” he said, adding that many business professionals browse his wares for the latest software applications.
Bassam, a 34-year-old engineer, said he purchases his company’s needs either from shops on Gardens Street or at kiosks downtown out of necessity, not callous disregard for the law.
“The prices software companies place on their products is extreme. How can we afford to start a company when we have to pay JD2,000 just for the software?” he remarked, adding that software costs are more than three months’ rent for his architecture graphic design studio.
Television serials are another hot-selling item.
Khalil, 22, works at his family’s DVD kiosk, which boldly displays its name on its two-storied structure.
For JD4 one can purchase a season of television shows from the US or Europe, all DVD quality, he boasted. Offering movies at JD1 per disc, his family’s business has been so successful that it has opened branches in more affluent Amman neighbourhoods.
The shop owner said that although his kiosk has been in operation for several years, he has faced no problems with the authorities.
“They don’t care. Some of them are my best customers,” he claimed.
According to National Library Department (NLD) Director Mamoun Talhouni, the open market for merchants dealing in pirated goods is coming to an end.
“We have referred all of these stalls to the courts numerous times, confiscated thousands of discs and levied fines on them. If they say business is good, they are lying,” Talhouni told The Jordan Times on Thursday.
With NLD personnel inspecting kiosks and the Kingdom’s courts imposing stiffer fines and penalties against violators, all that is left to put an end to the industry is closures, he said.
Under Article 36 of the Jordanian Copyright Law, the minister of culture has the authority to close down shops and institutions breaching IPR.
But the most active agent in shutting down violators is the court, which is authorised to shut down any violator’s business under the law.
“We have requested the courts to close down the shops, and we are currently awaiting decisions regarding several cases,” Talhouni said, pointing out that some stores have been referred to the court three times.
The Kingdom’s courts, however, face several obstacles in closing down these businesses, according to Amman Court of First Instance Judge Nehad Hussban.
“The court cannot just instantaneously close down a shop because a complaint was received,” Hussban told The Jordan Times yesterday, adding that several elements slow down the court’s ability to process such cases.
For example, many plaintiffs fail to follow up on their complaints, leaving the court with little evidence to bring against vendors, she said.
Even when authorities such as the NLD confiscate thousands of pieces of merchandise and present them as evidence, the court must prove that the items are indeed pirated, Hussban noted.
“The court usually resorts to having experts inspect the discs to verify whether they are legal or not, which is a long process,” she said.
Even when a violation of the Copyright Law is proven in court, it is then up to the judge’s discretion as to what penalty to hand down based on the size of the infraction, the judge said.
She also noted that although there are several parties working to bring such violations to light, their work is disjointed, which takes the court even more time in processing the cases.
“Institutions such as the National Library and the Customs Department need to work under one umbrella so we can speed up the judicial process,” she said, adding that it could take several months to issue a verdict and carry it through.
Perhaps the greatest challenge facing the court is the sheer volume of infractions, according to Hussban, who said that with each new case several more arise.
“It is a flourishing market, so it is not easy to control,” Hussban acknowledged.
Khalil agreed.
“We’re the only business that hasn’t been hurt by the rise in prices. People just keep coming,” he added.
source
These things were everywhere. I remember us seeing things like Batman Begins from buyig form one of these places.. 2JD, the day after release in the USA
to myself thinking of Robin Hood's theme: "Rob from the rich and give to the poor."
