Abu Dhabi International Book Fair shuts down two publishers over intellectual property rights violations

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) has shut down two publishing houses that had violated intellectual property rights and participation conditions.

The announcement was made during the 31st edition of the cultural event, which is organised by Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), the Arabic wing of Abu Dhabi’s culture sector regulator, the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).

This year, more than 1,000 publishers from 80 countries are participating in ADIBF, which runs at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until May 29.

Opposed to violations

Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, acting executive director of the ALC and director of ADIBF, said the fair was firmly opposed to violations of publishing law and intellectual property rights in the UAE and stressed the need to adhere to all regulations to protect the rights of both authors and publishers.

“For more than three decades, ADIBF has established itself as an incubator for creativity and innovation, cultivating a global reputation as a platform that attracts thousands of Arab and international publishers to support and advance the publishing industry in the region. ALC continues to uphold the UAE’s laws by holding a committee to monitor publication violations,” Al Tunaiji said.

Promoting creativity

The official added that ADIBF is devoted to promoting a culture of enlightenment that steers well clear of intellectual property infringement.