HA NOI (VNS) – The famous HCM City-based Tri Viet (First News) Publishing House has failed to sue the private printing centre, Huy Thi, in Hanoi suburban district of Thanh Tri, for copyright infringement. Therefore, Tri Viet has to face a VND26-million (US$1,200) legal bill after losing the court battle.

The decision was taken by a court in Thanh Tri District on Tuesday after the judges scrutinised court documents and stated that Tri Viet has not suffered any losses fro m the copyright violation. Three years ago, the Huy Thi printing centre was found to have illegally printed nearly 10,000 copies of the books, Quang Ganh Lo Di Ma Vui Song (How to Stop Worrying and Start Living) and 7 Thoi Quen Cua Ban Tre Thanh Dat (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens), both of which were published by Tri Viet. The centre also illegally sells several pirated publications.

Tri Viet then decided to sue the Huy Thi centre for VND500 million (US$24,000) for violation of opyrights, plus VND50 million (US$2,400) for expenditure incurred on recalling the "fake" books. However, the printing centre was fined only VND12 million (US$600) and resumed operations as normal.

During the court session held on Tuesday, the judges noted that as all the illegally printed books were seized and destroyed in 2011 before they could be released in the market, there is no basis stating that the copyright violation by the Huy Thi centre harmed the Tri Viet publishing house.

In addition, the court had not yet received any documents from the publishing house proving their economic losses incurred due to copyright infringement by the Huy Thi centre. Disagreeing with the court's decision, Head of the publishing house Nguyen Van Phuoc reiterated that Tri Viet will continue its battle to sue the Huy Thi centre in the higher court.

"We need to do that for the honour and justice of writers and publishers," he asserted. – VNS