HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif Baraka
The issue of intellectual property rights has sparked widespread controversy in artistic and media circles in Algeria, after writer and screenwriter Sarah Bertima filed an urgent lawsuit before the Commercial Court in Algiers, demanding the suspension of the broadcast of the series "Fatima," on the grounds of accusations of scenario theft.
According to information circulated in local media, the plaintiff asserts that the television work currently on display is based on an idea and scenario that belong to her, considering that essential elements of her artistic project were exploited without prior permission or agreement, which she considered a clear violation of her intellectual rights.
Bertima demanded that the judiciary intervene urgently to temporarily stop the broadcast of the series until a final decision is made in the case, with the possibility of resorting to technical expertise to compare the original text that she claims ownership of with the scenario adopted in the television work, in order to determine the extent of the existence of similarity or illegal plagiarism.
The case, which has begun to resonate widely within the Algerian artistic community, has revived the discussion about protecting the rights of authors in the field of television production, especially in light of the increasing disputes related to scenarios and dramatic ideas.
In contrast, no official clarification has been issued so far from the production company of the Fatima series regarding these accusations, pending what the court sessions will reveal and the technical expertise that the court may order.
The final word in this case remains with the judiciary, which will determine whether it is actually a case of scenario theft or merely an artistic similarity between two dramatic works.
