Mohammad Ali Ramin, deputy Minister of Cultyure and Islamic Guidance in Press Affairs and Information Work urged press corps to roll up sleeves and join the body in chalking up an effective code of ethics which enshrines intellectual rights of individuals.

 

Ramin noted that a code of ethics could be informed either by an Iranian and Islamic culture or a western or so-called modern culture. The media manager said an Iranian and Islamic culture embodies a set of ethical rules that help secure human rights which even addresses seemingly trivial issues regarding intellectual rights.

 

Ramin then touched on the current status of rules and regulations of intellectual rights in the west, saying that the western bodies have attuned such rules and regulations to their own interests in complete contempt for the rights of other nations, including Muslim countries. The official said the issue has proved a source of motivation for compilation of code of ethics and intellectual rights in keeping with religious and national teachings.

 

The deputy minister lamented that few notable efforts have ever been made to draw up relevant intellectual rights regarding media products, adding that any effort in this regard should only be informed by Iranian norms and Islamic tenets and no imitation of western approaches must take place.

 

Ramin then noted that a delay in a compilation of such rules and regulations was blamed on several complexities in harmonizing relevant bodies.

 

He called on the press corps, including journalists to contribute their relevant experiences and viewpoints to the ministry so as to enrich a first, debut blueprint of intellectual rules and regulations.

 

The panel discussion was an eighth one from a series of sessions to discuss the status of intellectual rights in the country. It was held on Wednesday, May 12 in the pavilion of House of Authors in the 23^rd edition of Tehran International Book Fair in a marquee assigned to showcase Iran's Publication Records.

 

Masoud Asadi, executive of department of publicity centers was another panelist to discuss the issue. The panel was joined by journalists and reporters.