Officials Renew Efforts Against Digital Piracy
Vendors of illegal CDs and DVDs will face 'secret, strong and clear tactics' in an impending crackdown, authorities say. (08 September 
Phnom Penh'svideo vendors are facing a new crackdown by authorities, who warn the sale ofpirated copies CDs or DVDs will lead to jail or fines. "We will not allow the illegal CDs and DVDs to be soldin Cambodian markets," said Kong Kang Dara, director of the cinemasecretariat of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. "We must strengthenthe Cambodian intellectual property law and promote the protection of intellectualproperty." Kong Kang Dara is a member of a newly formed joint committeecomprised of authorities from the ministries of Interior, Defense, Justice,Women's Affairs, and Culture. The committee met with more than 250 vendorsFriday to warn them of the impending crackdown. Under a national subdecree, vendors who are caught sellingpirated material will first face a fine of $2.70 per illegal disc. Those whodon't comply will face the courts, under an intellectual property law thatallows for one year in jail and a fine of $5,250. "We will use secret, strong and clear tactics toconfiscate the illegal CDs and DVDs, because it is a necessary time to promotelegal products and innovation," Kong Kang Dara said. Leu Siv, a CD and DVD shop owner at Central Market, said shehad heard the crackdown was coming and had stopped selling illegal copies forfear of facing fines. Asked whether the crackdown would hurt her business, sheonly laughed. Lay Sokhok, chief of Sunday Production, which produceskaraoke and music CDs and DVDs, welcomed the official crackdown. His company loses at least $200,000 per year in sales due topirated copies of his work in Cambodian markets, he said. Cambodiais facing a 2013 deadline from the World Trade Organization to eliminate thesale of pirated content. Phnom Penhhas more than 1,000 stalls that sell pirated versions of movies, karaoke andmusic, Kong Kang Dara said, but that number does not include mobile vendors whomove from place to place boxes of pirated goods. Authorities confiscate more than 10,000 illegal CDs and DVDsper year, he said.