New Russian anti-piracy law

Russia-based pirate site operators have been given a final warning by government, with an amendment to the country’s copyright law coming into force on May 1. Amendments are being made to intellectual property legislation implemented in August 2013, due to rising complaints about the law’s ineffectiveness during its first year, according to TorrentFreak. Injunctions were imposed against 175 sites by Moscow City Court during the year, but only 12 were blocked. Russia has therefore made further amendments to the legislation in order to make it easier to block infringing sites.

Said state Duma deputy speaker Sergei Zheleznyak: “I would like to warn those who are still abusing piracy: you have until May 1 to try to and enter into constructive dialogue with rightsholders. They are open to cooperation.

“Our common goal is to ensure that all work is adequately rewarded and that the benefit from successful books, music and wonderful computer programs is enjoyed by those who created them, and not those who stole them. If [site owners] are not interested in legal business, the response of the state will become quite obvious.”

Source: Music Week