05/06/2026
In early March, we discovered that two of my artworks had been infringed upon when photographs of unauthorised copies were advertised on the social media accounts of two art shops based in Phnom Penh. We acted quickly, and the offending parties promptly removed the images, but refused to acknowledge they knowingly painted or commissioned the painting of said copies. (To our relief, they had not reoffended, or attempted to sell the copies in their physical stores when we checked subsequently.)
However, the incident prompted me to consider what steps I should take if I were to encounter a more serious or difficult-to-resolve case of copyright infringement in the future, and so I filed a complaint with the Department of Copyright and Related Rights under the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (MCFA).
On Wednesday morning, we finally met with representatives of the department at the ministry building.
We were deeply impressed by their professionalism, expertise in copyright law, and willingness to assist. We were also touched to learn that the Minister of Culture, Her Excellency Dr Phoeurng Sackona, had instructed the department to give our case due attention. The representatives provided practical advice on how to respond to future cases of infringement and also informed us about alternative channels available for resolving copyright disputes.
They explained that while copyright protection in Cambodia arises automatically upon the creation of an original work, artists are nonetheless encouraged to register their works with the department. Upon registration, each work is issued a Certificate of Registration, which can serve as valuable legal evidence in cases of infringement or other copyright disputes.
The representatives also strongly supported our wish to write about this meeting, as they hope more artists and creative professionals will become aware that they can approach the department for assistance should they encounter copyright infringement or other violations of their intellectual property rights.
