Sevimli TV penalized for copyright violations

The Intellectual Property Agency discovered that several musical compositions by Khudayberdiev were used in Sevimli TV's telenovelas without obtaining prior consent from the composer or signing a licensing agreement.

In addition, the agency noted that fragments of these unauthorized musical works were also published on digital platforms such as Splay and YouTube. In all instances, official reports were filed under Article 177.1 of the Administrative Responsibility Code — which pertains to copyright and related rights violations.

Under this article, penalties range from 1 to 5 BCUs (Base Calculation Unit), equivalent to 375,000 to 1,875,000 UZS (rising to 412,000 to 2,060,000 UZS starting August 1) for individuals, and 5 to 10 BCUs (1.875 million to 3.75 million UZS, or 2.06 million to 4.12 million UZS from August 1) for officials. Penalties may also include the confiscation of pirated materials and reproduction equipment.

The Mirabad District Criminal Court issued rulings imposing the fines, although the exact amounts were not disclosed in the statement.

The Intellectual Property Agency has urged all users, including TV channels and radio stations, to strictly comply with copyright and related rights regulations. The agency reminded the public that compensation for copyright violations can range from 20 to 1000 BCUs under current legislation.