The Business Software Alliance (BSA), the voice of the world’s software and Internet industry, praised a judgment given by the Maltese Magistrates Court earlier this week, which convicted a reseller of computer hardware products who was distributing pirated software in violation of the intellectual property rights of Microsoft Corporation.

The BSA said pirated software was being unlawfully loaded onto computer systems that the reseller was building and distributing. The reseller was convicted by the court to an imprisonment term of eight months, suspended for 18 months. The BSA described this judgment as a very important step in the fight against software copyright theft in Malta. The Magistrates Court also ordered the confiscation and destruction of all the computer hardware and other related apparatus seized by the Police during their investigations.

“The judgment is proof that Malta is making great efforts to combat the escalating problem of piracy on the island,” said Georg Herrnleben, BSA Senior Director, Compliance Marketing EMEA, who urged the Maltese government to take bold measures to combat piracy in Malta through tougher legislation. BSA has pledged to continue working to educate consumers and organisations that piracy is theft and an infringement of intellectual property rights.

Although the piracy rate in Malta has been decreasing slowly since 1995, when it recorded a 77 per cent high, BSA sees no cause for complacency. The Maltese rate of 43 per cent means that over €4.4 million are robbed from the country revenues and the rate is way too high compared to the EU average of 35 per cent.

The distribution of unlicensed or pirated computer software creates a serious problem for software developers. BSA will continue to work with legal authorities to ensure that companies in Malta fulfil a legal obligation to ensure that all the computers sold by their establishment are accompanied by licensed and genuine computer software products.

The Court delivered its judgment after the accused pleaded guilty to all the criminal charges brought against him.