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Judge Abdul Fatah Mourad who violated the intellectual property rights of HRinfo

Cairo - 11 February 2007



The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo) is highly astonished by the practices of Dr. Abdul Fatah Mourad, Judge and Head of Alexandria Appeal Court. Dr. Mourad recently published a book titled "Scientific and Legal Principles of Blogs" which includes more than 50 pages copied from HRinfo report titled "Implacable Adversaries: Arab Governments and the Internet" and published on 13 December 2006. The judge's book includes no reference to sources and does not even mention that the subject is quoted. The Intellectual Property Protection Act defines the doer of such actions with a name which we consider Dr. Mourad is high above.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information while announcing this article to the conscience of Egyptian judges and all who may be interested in adherence to scientific research rules and standards in Egypt, announces the following:
    1. Defending freedom of expression and the right to exchange information must be always associated with preserving the intellectual property rights and considering the scientific research rules; i.e. by referring to sources whether books or persons.

    2. The tiny amendments added by the said judge confirms with absolute certainty that he attempted to go around the intellectual property rights of HRinfo, which he already violated. They are clearly proving the illegal copying of the content of the abovementioned HRinfo report, with no need for an expert researcher to uphold this.

    3. Dr. Mourad copied the content of HRinfo report in respect with the policy adopted by Arab governments in 11 Arab countries, with many perversions which distorted the stance of HRinfo towards the policies adopted in some countries. He represented untrue image of governments of Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, for instance. He omitted the parts condemning these governments, and subsequently presented untrue image about them.

    4. Judge Abdul Fattah Mourad prefaced his book with a very long introduction on the intellectual property rights and legal and religious penalties imposed on those who violate them. However, he himself did not comply with these rules at all.

    5. Dr. Mourad mentioned - apparently to pull wool over the eyes - the website of HRinfor initiative "The Initiative for an Open Arab Internet" http://openarab.net/en/ as one of his sources and labeled this with a date prior to the construction of the website. He wrote that the date of extraction is (31 October 2005), while HRinfo constructed Openarab.net in mid-2006; almost one year after the mentioned date.

    6. The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information deplores such violation by the judge to HRinfo intellectual property rights and distorted the facts mentioned in HRinfo report. Simultaneously, HRinfo cannot find any reasonable interpretation to such behavior yet.

    7. The bad faith is clearly proved by the judge when he added in the beginning of his book that "this version is not copied and includes no violations to author's rights". He also confirmed that quotation from his book may not exceed two lines footed by the name of author and reference title. Ironically, he quoted more than 50 pages from HRinfo report and did not refer that the subject is copied or quoted.

    8. HRinfo was to overlook this act if it had been committed by a young researcher who is not aware of the scientific research rules and does not distort the source of extractions. However, the one who committed such deeds is a judge with a Philosopher Doctorate degree in Law and a university professor, according to his introduction to himself.

    9. The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information is expecting reasonable and logic interpretation from the said judge. Otherwise, HRinfo will resort to Public Prosecutor and Judicial Inspection Bureau and will take all necessary measures to force him to respect and comply with the intellectual property rights and scientific research rules.
Finally, The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information asserts on its respect and permanent support to Egyptian judges. HRinfo is confident that the Egyptian judges, who stand for the rights of citizens to independent judiciary capable of defending them against the tyranny of executive authority, will not accept such violation committed by Judge Dr. Abdul Fatah Mourad. HRinfo knows that the Egyptian judges will take necessary measures to prevent the repetition of similar actions. Subsequently, we will accept their decision with no comment.

Issued in Cairo, on 11 February 2007
By: The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information

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