Saudi company's pirated software leads to SR5 million lawsuit

The Business Software Alliance, an international organization that aims to enforce software copyright law, has filed an SR5 million ($1.3 million) damage claim against an unnamed Saudi company found to be using pirated software.

The lawsuit also calls for the cancellation of the company’s commercial registration and an increase in their penalties and prison terms. The claim punctuates a substantial media BSA media campaign, warning the public of the harsh penalties for using pirated goods.

It’s an unprecedented lawsuit for the Kingdom, yet it might only be the first of many- Majed Garoub, the lawyer representing the software company claiming compensation, has said his employers fully intend to file furthers claims against other Saudi companies.

Garoub says that the objective in filing these claims is to protect the investors who’ve brought business to the region, and that protecting intellectual property rights will encourage other companies to invest in Saudi Arabia.

The BSA estimates that 52 percent of companies in Saudi Arabia do business using illegally obtained software, and that this is costing the software companies some $200 million every year.