Business | Technology
Raids conducted on three IT resellers
Microsoft Gulf, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi authorities and Ministry of Economy, has conducted raids on three IT resellers who were selling products with unlicensed Microsoft software in Abu Dhabi.
- By Naushad K. Cherrayil, Senior Sub-Editor
- Published: 01:13 February 24, 2008
Dubai: Microsoft Gulf, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi authorities and Ministry of Economy, has conducted raids on three IT resellers who were selling products with unlicensed Microsoft software in Abu Dhabi.
Microsoft, a member of the Business Software Alliance (BSA), has been observing the resellers following reports that they were installing illegal versions of MS Office 2007 and Windows XP on computers sold to customers. The incursions led to the seizure of 93 pirated software CDs.
"We will continue to support and follow up these recent raids to protect the integrity of Abu Dhabi's local software market. Our actions are meant to send a strong signal that the UAE in general and the capital city in particular will not tolerate piracy of any form," said Jawad Al Redha, IPR manager for Microsoft Gulf.
Al Redha said this is the first catch of the year and the ongoing campaign is part of a drive towards removing unlicensed installations of Microsoft programs in the UAE.
Microsoft has also previously collaborated with BSA and other local authorities in organising Abu Dhabi raids that resulted in four arrests and the seizure of three personal computers and 84 CDs loaded with pirated software applications.
"We encourage both public and private parties to report any activities against intellectual property, and we extend our appreciation to local authorities who have been supportive of our anti-piracy campaign," he said.
The UAE leads the Middle East in intellectual property rights (IPR) and copyright protection, currently placed 29th in the world rankings of IPR protection.
Quoting an IDC report, he said the Middle East is a small region, but the growing IT sector could see tremendous benefits from piracy reductions. Countries in the region with a history of low piracy have nurtured larger IT sectors.
The country has a software piracy rate of 35 per cent, far below the 57 per cent average of the Middle East and North Africa region. The UAE law strictly requires software users to keep evidence of the originality of the software they buy and use.
"Software piracy victim-ises not only the economy but society as well, which still views such crimes as petty.
"We will continue to fight this illegal trade through aggressive private and public dissemination of its detrimental effects, productive partnerships with organisations such as BSA, and close cooperation with enforcement authorities," Al Redha said.
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