Internet cafe owner fined for selling pirated CDs

By MOHAMMED ASLAM

MANAMA

AN Internet café owner has been fined BD200 for selling pirated pornographic CDs. The 26-year-old also had pirated software on 10 computers used by customers in the cafe, in Manama.

He admitted breaching the copyright laws and being in possession of pornography, but blamed an Indian employee who ran the café for him.

The defendant is a bank clerk by owned the Internet café as a private business, the court heard.

An Information Ministry official discovered eight pirated CDs of pornographic films when he inspected the café in February last year to ensure it was using licensed software.

The films, Indian and European, were on sale to customers, said the prosecution.

It was also found that 10 computers were loaded with pirated programmes.

The defendant told police who knew nothing of the violations.

"An Indian man is running the café for me. But I promise that this thing will not happen again," he said.

Gulf Daily News