Bahrain's Shura Council members have approved the amendments to the Intellectual Property Protection (IPP) law and will send the bill for final vote next week, said a report.

The council members argued over the right of the IPP owner to have out of court settlements, which could range between BD500 ($1,317) and BD9,000, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

Another disputed issue was exempting non-commercial establishments, such as educational institutes, libraries and public media, from the law if they unintentionally breach it.

Under approved amendments, deciphering signals could only be allowed through written documentation from the intellectual property owner or representatives.

Violators will also be jailed more than six months and fined up to BD2,000, or both.

Shura's youth and sports committee chairman Khalil Al Thawadi said the amendments were studied by IPP expert and Bahrain University professor Dr Sabri Khater to strike a balance between the requirements of the Free Trade Agreement and Bahrain's legislation.

A final vote will be taken next week, he added.-TradeArabia News Service