Latvia, Legislation, Technology, Telecomunications

International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Thursday, 28.03.2024, 09:46

State Police in Latvia has closed down access to illegal TV content for 11,000 households in 2019

BC, Riga, 20.02.2020.Print version
Last year in Latvia, purposeful activities of the State Police have resulted in initiation of 10 criminal proceedings regarding illegal supply of audiovisual content, while three criminal proceedings were forwarded for commencement of criminal prosecution, thus closing down access to illegal TV content for approximately 11,000 households in Latvia, Dmitrijs Homenko, Chief of the Unit 3 – Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Crime Enforcement Unit of the State Police Economic Crime Enforcement Department, said in the press conference.

In 2019, the State Police has conducted 523 inspections to check the legality of audiovisual content, 47 administrative proceedings have been initiated and 20 administrative violation reports have been drawn up, said Dmitrijs Homenko.


 “Due to operations by the State Police in fighting illegal TV distributors, the number of households using illegal connections to TV services has reduced by 17.7%, from 62,000 to 51,000 households last year; while, thanks to the priority of the police to fight content piracy, the number of households using “pirate” connections over the last three years has been reduced by 49%,” says Dace Kotzeva, Chief Executive Officer of the association “Par legālu saturu!” [“For legal content!”], stressing that four judgements of conviction in a period slightly longer than a year have resulted in compensations of approximately EUR 200,000 paid to the victims/ owners of audiovisual content.

 

During the period from 2017 to 2019, the State Police has conducted 1,223 inspections of legality of audiovisual content, 152 administrative proceedings have been initiated, 86 administrative violation reports have been drawn up and 40 criminal proceedings have been initiated.


About the association “Par legālu saturu!”

Goal of the association “Par legālu saturu!” is to take vigorous actions against the distribution of TV and films without the permit of the producer or supplier, as well as to promote lawful (legal) broadcast of TV content in the telecommunication market. The association was founded on 7 October 2015 by TV service providers and producers of audiovisual content: LLC (SIA) Tet, LLC (SIA) Baltcom, Foreign Merchant’s Branch (ĀKF) AS TV PLAY BALTICS LATVIJAS FILIĀLE, LLC (SIA) Pirmais Baltijas Kanāls and LLC (SIA) Forum Cinemas, and its members are: mobile communications operator BITE LATVIJA, LLC (SIA) ACME FILM, orbital satellite operator SES ASTRA AB, Latvian Performers’ and Producers’ Association (LaIPA), WIDE MEDIA LLC, LLC (SIA) Dautkom TV, LLC (SIA) Ostkom and the Latvian authors' society AKKA/LAA (Autortiesību un komunicēšanās konsultāciju aģentūra/Latvijas Autoru apvienība – the Copyright and Communications Consulting Agency/Authors’ Union of Latvia).






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