Bosnian Prosecutor’s Office Charges Nine People with Copyright Violations

The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina has recently issued indictments against nine individuals charging them with the unauthorized use of copyrighted material, a criminal offense under both the Bosnian Criminal Code and the Law on Copyright and Related Rights.

Two residents of the capital of Sarajevo, are charged with obtaining a large amount of unlicensed Microsoft Windows XP Professional OEM and Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate software with counterfeit Certificate of Authenticity stickers, and advertising and selling it for EUR 36 (USD 50) per piece.

An owner of a store in Trebinje, in the south of Bosnia, is charged with knowingly putting into circulation illegal copies of 160 DVDs and 178 CDs.

The head of a video store in Mostar, in the south of Bosnia, is charged with putting thousands of unauthorized CDs and DVDs into circulation.

One resident is charged with putting into circulation illegal copies of 247 CDs and 552 DVDs in a facility he rented in Posušje, southern Bosnia.

An owner of a shop in Sarajevo, is charged with putting into circulation a total of 2,605 illegally produced CDs and DVDs.

An owner of a photo and video studio in Konjic, central Bosnia, is charged with purchasing and creating 1,666 pirated CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes and putting them into circulation.

Finally, an owner of a store in Grude, southern Bosnia, is charged with acquiring and putting into circulation 3,118 illegal CDs and DVDs.

The indictments have been forwarded to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for confirmation. In Bosnia, the maximum sentence for illegal reproduction and distribution of copyrighted material is five years in prison.

For more information, please contact Alma Vilic at our Bosnia office.

Source: The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina