Article 7 of the Saudi Copyright Law
المادة 7 من نظام حماية حقوق المؤلف
The article makes folklore public property of the state with the Ministry exercising the author's rights, and prohibits importing or distributing copies or translations produced outside the Kingdom without the Ministry's license.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يعد التراث الشعبي ملكًا عامًّا للدولة، وتمارس الوزارة حقوق المؤلف عليه.
2- يحظر استيراد أو توزيع نسخ مصنفات التراث الشعبي، أو نسخ ترجمات أو غيرها المنتجة خارج المملكة دون ترخيص من الوزارة.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 7 explained in plain English
Folklore, as Article 1 defines it, means all literary, artistic or scientific works presumed to have been created in Saudi territory that have passed from generation to generation and form part of the traditional Saudi cultural or artistic heritage. Because no specific author is known for these works, the article sets two rules:
- State ownership: folklore is public property of the state, and the Ministry (the Ministry of Culture and Information, according to the definition in Article 1) exercises the author's rights over it. That is, the Ministry stands in the place of the author in these works.
- Prohibition of importing and distributing without a license: importing or distributing copies of folklore works, or copies of their translations or others, produced outside the Kingdom is prohibited except with a license from the Ministry.
The aim is to protect the national heritage from being exploited or altered abroad and then brought back into the local market without supervision. The prohibition in the text of the article relates to copies produced outside the Kingdom, and the article does not state the licensing procedures or conditions.
Anyone working in publishing or importing heritage products would do well to consult a lawyer who specializes in intellectual property and copyright before starting.
Practical example
A distribution company in Jeddah wanted to import discs produced by a body outside the Kingdom containing traditional Saudi folk chants. Under this article it may not import or distribute them without obtaining a license from the Ministry.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 7 of the Saudi Copyright Law
Who holds the rights to Saudi folklore?
Folklore is public property of the state, and the Ministry exercises the author's rights over it.
May products of Saudi folklore made abroad be imported?
Importing or distributing copies of folklore works, or their translations or others, produced outside the Kingdom is prohibited without a license from the Ministry.
What is folklore in the law?
It is the literary, artistic or scientific works presumed to have been created in Saudi territory that have passed from generation to generation and form part of the traditional Saudi heritage.
More articles on Works Protected by Copyright
- Article 1
The article defines the key terms of the Copyright Law, such as work, author, publication, copying, joint work, collective work and folklore.
يقصد بالعبارات الآتية أينما وردت في هذا النظام المعاني المذكورة أمامها ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك: المصنف : أي عمل أدبي، أو علمي، أو فني. المصنف المشترك : المصن
- Article 2
The article protects every original work in literature, the arts and sciences whatever its type, form of expression, importance or purpose, giving examples such as software and the title of an original work.
يحمي هذا النظام المصنفات المبتكرة في الآداب والفنون والعلوم، أيًّا كان نوع هذه المصنفات، أو طريقة التعبير عنها، أو أهميتها، أو الغرض من تأليفها؛ مثل: 1 - المواد
- Article 3
The article protects derivative works such as translations, summaries, commentaries, encyclopedias and original databases, without prejudice to the rights of the authors of the original works.
يحمي هذا النظام أيضاً : 1 - مصنفات الترجمة. 2 - مصنفات التلخيص ، أو التعديل، أو الشرح، أو التحقيق، أو غير ذلك من أوجه التحوير. 3 - الموسوعات، والمختارات التي تع
- Article 4
The article excludes from the law's protection laws, judgments and official documents and their official translations, daily news, and mere ideas, procedures, principles and facts.
لا تشمل الحماية المقررة بمقتضى هذا النظام: 1 - الأنظمة والأحكام القضائية ، وقرارات الهيئات الإدارية ، والاتفاقيات الدولية، وسائر الوثائق الرسمية، وكذلك الترجمات
- Article 26
The article directs the Minister to issue the Implementing Regulations of the Copyright Law within six months and publish them in the Official Gazette.
يصدر الوزير اللائحة التنفيذية لهذا النظام خلال ستة أشهر، وتنشر في الجريدة الرسمية.
- Article 27
The article provides that this law replaces the previous Copyright Law issued by Royal Decree No. M/11 dated 19/5/1410 AH.
يحل هذا النظام محل نظام حماية حقوق المؤلف الصادر بالمرسوم الملكي ذي الرقم م/11 والتاريخ 19/ 5/ 1410هـ.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.