Article 18 of the Saudi Copyright Law

This article answers the question: to which works does the law apply? It lists three categories:

First: by the author's nationality and place of first publication:

1. Works of Saudi and non-Saudi authors that are published, produced, performed or displayed for the first time in the Kingdom.
2. Works of Saudi authors that are published, produced, performed or displayed for the first time outside the Kingdom.

A Saudi author is therefore protected wherever he first publishes his work, and a non-Saudi is protected under this item if his work is first published in the Kingdom.

Second: the works of broadcasting organizations, producers of audio recordings and performers, who under Article 1 are those who act, recite, sing or perform roles in literary or artistic works.

Third: works that enjoy protection under the international agreements or treaties for the protection of authors' rights to which the Kingdom is a party. Protection may thus extend to foreign works first published outside the Kingdom, according to what those agreements provide. The article does not name these agreements.

Article 19 completes this rule by stating the term of protection for each type of work. A person dealing with foreign works or publishing outside the Kingdom may consult a lawyer who specializes in intellectual property and copyright.