The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Media, confiscated, and destroyed more than 3,500,000 items violating intellectual property rights. These items were seized during the transitional period of copyright from the Ministry of Media to SAIP. The seized items included copied and counterfeit books, satellite broadcasting devices, computer program storage devices, in addition to photocopy devices for audio works. This process follows the inspection campaigns targeted various cities and regions in Saudi Arabia. It comes from the competencies assigned to SAIP according to its mandate, where SAIP is warning against promoting or trading products violating intellectual property rights. SAIP has stressed that all necessary measures will be taken to implement the deterrent penalties for violations. This is in order to have effective enforcement of intellectual property rights, especially copyright. This process also comes after carrying out several awareness campaigns by SAIP, in collaboration with the relevant authorities, to raise awareness of respect for intellectual property rights. During the destruction process, SAIP, in collaboration with the Ministry of Media and the relevant authorities, was able to recycle nearly one million items violating the intellectual property rights to save the environment. This was made in accordance with best practices that preserve and respect the environment and public health. The CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al-Swailem, mentioned that the process of destroying infringing items is not the only punishment for violators of intellectual property, and it is conducted in accordance with international agreements to which Saudi Arabia is committed. Al-Suwailem also mentioned that based on SAIP role in promoting respect for intellectual property and achieving transparency in the local and international community in implementing decisions, we are continuing our efforts to confront items that violate intellectual property rights in the Kingdom by destroying and recycling them in collaboration with the concerned entities and to preserve the environment and prevent the damages of destroying those violating items by traditional methods that violate environmental protection regulations applied in Saudi Arabia. SAIP stressed that it will take necessary actions and measures to hold accountable violators in all IP areas SAIP competent with, and will take care of their rights, and called on citizens and residents to support the efforts to respect intellectual property rights by communicating with the authority's official channels through social media. — SG
