Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 27
By Huseyn Valiyev – Trend:
A number of big state and private facilities of Azerbaijan still use pirated software, Nariman Ramazanov, head of FINA LLP, a law firm representing the Software Alliance (BSA), told Trend Oct. 27.
He said there have been no significant changes in the software piracy level in Azerbaijan for the last three years and currently, according to the information of the BSA, this figure is 85 percent.
“Two years ago, a law on suspending inspections of business entities was adopted in Azerbaijan,” Ramazanov said. “As a result, inspections of enterprises regarding their use of pirated software were also suspended.”
Unfortunately, many enterprises take advantage of the adopted law and don’t intend to switch to licensed software, he noted.
“Sellers in computer stores in Azerbaijan don’t deny that they install pirated software when selling PCs,” Ramazanov noted. “Nevertheless, it is very difficult to prove the sale of pirated software in court.”
The Software Alliance, also known as BSA, is a trade group established by Microsoft Corporation in 1988 and representing a number of the world's largest software makers and is a member of the International Intellectual Property Alliance. Its principal activity is trying to stop copyright infringement of software produced by its members.