KABUL (SW): After the PDF version of the book “Afghanistan Politics; A Narrative From Within” by the former National Security Adviser Rangin Dadfar Spanta was circulated on the social media, the publisher of this book closed its business.
A number of Kabul based publishers have said that non-compliance with copyright law has been continuing for years, and has brought huge financial losses to them.
Wasim Amiri, the head of the Amiri Publishing, said that the Azem publishing, which had the copyrights to Spanta’s book, has stopped its activities due to the violation of the copyright law. Afghanistan Publishers’ Association demand implementation of the copyright law in the country more strictly.
Ajmal Azem, director of Azem Publishing House, also told Salam Watandar that copyright law is not respected in the country, and the publishers have always been hurt in this regard.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Sabir Momand, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Culture, has insisted that the government will continue to hold the copyright law abusers accountable. He said that the complaint by the Azem Publishing House has been referred to the Prosecutor General’s Office for investigation.
A large number of writers and publishers have expressed their concerns about the illegal publishing of their works previously as well. According to them, if copyright law is not respected, the publishing industry in Afghanistan will face utter failure.
ENDS
