(a) This Policy establishes the Company’s internal rules and legal obligations regarding the creation, ownership, protection, and use of copyrightable materials including, but not limited to, software code, source files, website content, visual designs, documentation, and digital assets.

(b) The purpose of this Policy is to protect the Company’s intellectual property rights under the copyright laws of the State of Qatar and relevant international treaties, and to ensure that all employees, contractors, and stakeholders are aware of their responsibilities.

(c) This Policy applies to all personnel, subsidiaries, affiliates, third-party developers, and vendors who create or access copyrightable content in the course of providing services to or on behalf of the Company.

(d) All materials created during the course of employment, service, or engagement with the Company are subject to this Policy, regardless of whether they are published, unpublished, disclosed, or kept internal.

(a) This Policy shall be interpreted in accordance with the copyright provisions of Qatari Law No. 7 of 2002 on the Protection of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights, as amended, as well as applicable decisions from the Ministry of Culture and Arts, and other competent Qatari authorities.

(b) Where the Company operates internationally or collaborates with foreign partners, relevant international conventions such as the Berne Convention and the TRIPS Agreement may also apply, provided they are consistent with Qatari law.

(c) In the event of a conflict between international provisions and local Qatari regulations, Qatari law shall prevail unless an international obligation requires otherwise.

(d) All disputes arising from the interpretation or enforcement of this Policy shall be governed by the laws of Qatar and subject to the jurisdiction of the competent Qatari courts, unless arbitration is agreed upon separately.

(a) All works created by employees during the course of their employment, whether individually or collaboratively, shall be the sole and exclusive property of the Company from the moment of creation, unless otherwise stated in writing.

(b) For commissioned works, the Company shall hold full copyright if the contract explicitly transfers such rights. In the absence of such a clause, the Company shall seek formal written assignment before distribution or commercial use.

(c) Copyright ownership includes the exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, modify, perform, and display the works, and to license or sell such rights to third parties at the Company’s discretion.

(d) Any unauthorized use, replication, or external transfer of Company-owned copyrightable material shall be considered a breach of this Policy and may result in disciplinary or legal action.

(a) All employees, freelancers, and contractors engaged in creative, technical, or content development roles must sign an Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement as a condition of their engagement.

(b) This Agreement shall provide for the full assignment of all current and future copyright rights to the Company, with no retained interest unless otherwise agreed in writing and approved by legal counsel.

(c) The assignment shall cover works created on Company premises, using Company resources, or within the scope of assigned tasks or responsibilities, regardless of whether they are completed during work hours.

(d) In the event that copyright assignment is invalid or unavailable under applicable law, the creator agrees to grant the Company an irrevocable, exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, modify, and sublicense the works for any lawful purpose.

(a) The Company shall maintain a centralized intellectual property register for all original works created under its control, including software, documentation, UI/UX designs, training materials, and media content.

(b) Each department must submit a record of authorship, creation date, summary of the work, and the names of contributors to the Legal Department within ten (10) business days of completion.

(c) Where deemed commercially valuable, the Legal Department shall proceed with voluntary copyright registration with the Qatari Ministry of Culture or relevant foreign authorities in international jurisdictions.

(d) Documentation submitted shall be confidential, securely archived, and accessible only to authorized personnel involved in legal protection, licensing, or dispute resolution processes.

(a) Any licensing of Company-owned copyrightable material must be approved in writing by the Legal Department and governed by a formal License Agreement outlining scope, territory, term, permitted uses, and revocation rights.

(b) All third-party materials incorporated into Company works—including stock images, open-source code, or external documentation—must be properly licensed, with proof of terms and source files retained in the project archive.

(c) Employees must not use copyright-protected third-party works (e.g., videos, music, software libraries) without express permission, valid license, or confirmed public domain status.

(d) Breach of third-party licensing terms may expose the Company to litigation or penalties; violators shall be held personally responsible if negligence or willful misconduct is proven.

(a) The Company shall actively monitor the internet and digital marketplaces for unauthorized use, copying, or distribution of its copyrighted works using internal tools, legal service providers, or third-party IP monitoring platforms.

(b) Upon detection of suspected infringement, the Legal Department shall initiate takedown requests, cease-and-desist notices, or legal action where appropriate, including through the CRA, Ministry of Culture, or international authorities.

(c) All employees are required to report suspected internal or external infringement to the Legal or Compliance Department within 24 hours of discovery, regardless of the platform or medium.

(d) The Company reserves the right to pursue civil and criminal remedies against any individual, company, or entity found to have infringed its intellectual property, including damages, injunctions, and seizure of infringing materials.

(a) Where Company projects include or interact with open-source software (OSS), developers must disclose all OSS components and license types (e.g., MIT, GPL, Apache) before deployment.

(b) Use of open-source software must be evaluated by the Legal Department to ensure compliance with terms that may require public disclosure of Company code (e.g., copyleft obligations under GPL).

(c) Any decision to publish Company-owned code or materials under a public or Creative Commons license must be approved in writing by the CTO and General Counsel and registered in the IP asset inventory.

(d) Failure to follow OSS protocols may result in reputational harm, code exposure, or enforcement action by third-party rights holders. Offenders may face disciplinary measures including loss of project access or termination.

(a) All employees, contractors, interns, and consultants must sign an Intellectual Property and Confidentiality Agreement as a condition of engagement with the Company, assigning all rights to any work created within the scope of their employment or engagement.

(b) No individual may assert authorship or ownership over Company-owned works without express written permission from the Company’s Legal Department, regardless of creative contribution or authorship.

(c) Individuals involved in the creation of copyrightable content must use only authorized software, follow naming and version control conventions, and store works in Company-approved repositories.

(d) Violation of these obligations, including unauthorized retention or external sharing of copyrighted work, shall result in disciplinary action, up to and including legal proceedings for misappropriation of intellectual property.

(a) The Company encourages collaborative creation and innovation across teams but requires clear attribution of authorship, contributions, and modification history for all major works through internal tracking systems or version control logs.

(b) Departments must assign a project owner or lead responsible for managing copyright status, contributor lists, and updates to the Legal Department upon significant content revisions.

(c) Attribution to individual creators may be included in external materials (e.g., whitepapers, publications, design portfolios) only with the Company’s prior written consent and in a format consistent with brand guidelines.

(d) Collaborative works developed with third-party partners (e.g., joint ventures, co-development arrangements) must be governed by a separate IP agreement delineating shared ownership, licensing rights, and exploitation terms.

(a) All Company-owned materials intended for external use must include a copyright notice in the format: © [Year] [Company Name], All Rights Reserved. This must appear in documentation footers, source code headers, digital assets, and public releases.

(b) Internal systems shall embed digital watermarking, metadata, and ownership information into files where feasible to deter unauthorized use and support forensic tracking in case of infringement.

(c) Teams are required to document the date of creation, creator name(s), software/tool used, and licensing status for all deliverables within a centralized IP registry.

(d) The IT and Legal Departments shall conduct periodic audits to ensure all externally published content meets Company copyright marking requirements.

(a) This Policy shall be reviewed at least annually by the Legal and Compliance Departments in collaboration with the Technology and Marketing teams to reflect changes in Qatari law, international treaties, and industry standards.

(b) Mandatory training on copyright principles, IP obligations, and risk scenarios shall be provided to all creative, technical, and content-producing staff within 30 days of hire and on a yearly basis thereafter.

(c) Attendance at training sessions must be documented, and staff who fail to attend may have access to publishing tools, design platforms, or development environments suspended until compliance is met.

(d) Any violation of this Policy shall be addressed through internal disciplinary procedures. Repeat or egregious violations may lead to contract termination and legal action under Qatari IP law or international copyright enforcement mechanisms.

(a) This Copyright Protection Policy shall come into full force and effect on the date of its formal approval by the Company’s Board of Directors and shall remain binding until amended, repealed, or replaced by a subsequent version.

(b) All employees, contractors, vendors, and collaborators involved in the creation, use, or distribution of software, digital content, or designs must sign an acknowledgment form confirming receipt, review, and agreement to comply with this Policy.

(c) Signed acknowledgments shall be retained by the Compliance Department and made available for internal audit or regulatory inspection as required by Qatari law or contractual obligations.

(d) Any questions regarding the interpretation, implementation, or enforcement of this Policy shall be directed to the Legal Department. Non-compliance with this Policy may subject the violator to legal liability and internal disciplinary action.

Approved by:

Name: [Full Name]

Title: [Chairman / CEO / Managing Director]

Date: [Insert Date]

Signature: __________________________

Compliance Officer Confirmation:

Name: [Compliance Officer Name]

Title: Compliance Officer

Signature: __________________________