Amid a public uproar over a hefty fee levied on a Taza café owner for playing a Fairuz song, the Moroccan Office for Copyright and Related Rights (BMDAV) has defended its actions, dismissing claims of «misinformation» regarding its role in collecting copyright dues. The incident has sparked debate, with consumer advocates urging a more educational approach before enforcing penalties. Following public outrage over a fine issued to a café owner in Taza for playing a Fairuz song, the Moroccan Office for Copyright and Related Rights (BMDAV) released a clarification pushing back against what it called «misinformation» circulating online about its role in collecting copyright dues. «Rights, Not Fines» The office explained that it is a state-established collective management body created under Law 25.19 and legally responsible for protecting and managing copyright and related rights under Law 2.00. One of its main duties, it said, is to collect payments and distribute them to rights holders, in addition to overseeing how copyrighted works are used. This oversight includes monitoring where and how often protected works are played, and ensuring they are not used without authorization. BMDAV noted that collections follow schedules published in the Official Gazette and apply to cafés, hotels, restaurants, and other venues that publicly broadcast protected works via TV, radio, or other communication systems. It stressed that the amounts requested are legal rights owed, not «fines» or «fees». Consumer Group: «Awareness Should Come Before Punishment» The controversy erupted after the café owner posted the official notice on Facebook with a sarcastic caption : «Today a committee from the Ministry of Culture came to the café and caught me 'in the act' of playing a Fairuz morning song. They even filed a report. Too much stress makes you laugh, thank God it was just Fairuz». According to the notice he shared, he was asked to pay 4,840 dirhams: 4,800 dirhams in copyright dues and 40 dirhams for a stamp duty covering the period during which the music was broadcast. The Moroccan Consumer Protection Observatory quickly reacted, saying it was «deeply dissatisfied» with how the case was handled. The group criticized what it described as a «punitive approach before an awareness approach». It called on authorities to suspend such measures until café owners are properly informed and clear guidelines are published explaining what is allowed and what requires authorization. The observatory also urged a gradual and socially sensitive approach, noting that creators' rights must be protected, but not at the expense of a sector that employs thousands of families and directly affects consumers.
