Copyrights Law in Azerbaijan
Here’s a comprehensive overview of copyright law in Azerbaijan as of 2025:
📚 Copyright Law in Azerbaijan
1. Legal Framework
The primary law governing copyright in Azerbaijan is the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Copyright and Related Rights, first adopted in 1996 and updated multiple times (most recently amended in 2021).
Administered by the Intellectual Property Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan is a member of key international treaties:
Berne Convention
WIPO Copyright Treaty
Rome Convention
TRIPS Agreement (as a WTO member)
2. Protected Works
Copyright automatically protects original works of authorship expressed in a tangible form, including:
Literary works (books, software, articles)
Artistic works (paintings, drawings, sculptures)
Musical works (with or without lyrics)
Audiovisual works (films, video)
Photographs
Databases (with originality)
Architectural works
Dramatic and choreographic works
3. Rights Granted
🔹 Economic Rights (transferable/licensable):
Reproduction
Distribution
Public performance
Broadcasting and communication to the public
Translation, adaptation, or transformation
🔹 Moral Rights (inalienable):
Right to be named as the author
Right to protect the work from distortion or modification
Right to decide when and how the work is disclosed to the public
4. Duration of Protection
Life of the author + 70 years after death
For joint works: 70 years after the last co-author’s death
For anonymous or pseudonymous works: 70 years from the date of lawful publication
For cinematographic works: 70 years from the death of the last surviving key contributor (director, screenwriter, composer, etc.)
5. Related Rights
Also protected under Azerbaijani law:
Performers’ rights (50 years)
Phonogram producers’ rights (50 years)
Broadcasting organizations’ rights (50 years)
6. Limitations and Exceptions
Permitted uses include:
Private copying
Quotation for criticism or review
Use in education and research
Use in libraries, archives, and museums
Use in news reporting
All uses must comply with the “three-step test” (non-commercial, fair, and not conflicting with normal exploitation of the work).
7. Enforcement
Enforcement is handled by civil, administrative, and criminal courts.
Remedies include:
Injunctions and seizure of infringing goods
Damages (including statutory damages)
Criminal penalties for willful infringement (fines or imprisonment)
Summary Table
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Governing Law | Law on Copyright and Related Rights (1996, amended) |
| Administering Authority | Intellectual Property Agency of Azerbaijan |
| International Treaties | Berne, WIPO, TRIPS, Rome |
| Protected Works | Literary, musical, artistic, audiovisual, etc. |
| Duration | Life + 70 years |
| Moral Rights | Yes (perpetual and inalienable) |
| Exceptions | Private use, education, research, quotation |
| Enforcement | Civil, administrative, and criminal remedies |
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