Fujairah Authorities Curb Software Piracy Sales

Press Release:
In its ongoing efforts to curb the spread of pirated software, Microsoft Gulf today announced that it had filed criminal complaints which led to five anti-piracy raids on resellers in Fujairah. The raids were conducted by the Fujairah branch of the UAE Ministry of Economy, the Fujairah Municipality and the UAE National Media Council. The raids resulted in the confiscation of personal computers loaded with pirated copies of Microsoft software.

Hassan Yousef Al Mushtaghil, Director of the UAE Ministry of Economy in Fujairah said, “In addition to the impact on economies and innovation, software piracy poses real risks to businesses and consumers. It is for this reason that protecting Intellectual Property Rights is at the top of the agenda for the Ministry where we partner with organizations such as Microsoft in the development of strategies and mechanisms that will help tackle this issue in the Arab world.”

Jawad Al Redha, IPR Manager, Microsoft Gulf, said: “Every country should take steps to stop software piracy to create a stronger and secure business environment which in return delivers tangible benefits to local economies. We believe that consumers using counterfeit software are at high risk to data loss, security issues, identity or credit card theft. The raids by the authorities highlight their commitment to protect consumers and the partner ecosystem from the negative impact of pirated software. Microsoft supports the Ministry’s efforts in taking legal steps against those who manufacture and distribute illegal software in the country.”

Under the Genuine Software Initiative (GSI), Microsoft is committed to advancing education amongst its customers while investing heavily in engineering world-class anti-counterfeiting technologies and supporting government and law enforcement to take action against counterfeiters. In its regional efforts, Microsoft works closely with governments, industry partners and educational organisations, to build awareness of the value of intellectual property as a driver of economic growth and encourage respect for IPRs.