The investigation revealed that Azerbaijani composer Bahram Nasibov's work 'Garabagh' (Anad?r arzulara h?r zaman Qaraba?) was appropriated and performed by Armenian singer Gor Yepremyan under the title 'Sirun jan,' and circulated on YouTube, as reported by Azernews, citing the Intellectual Property Agency.
Original version:
Armenian plagiarism:
The agency's experts, including folk artists and composers Faig Sijaddinov and Eldar Mansurov, promptly responded to this recent case of Armenian plagiarism:
"Based on their analysis, it was determined that B. Nasibov's work 'Garabagh,' written in the mugham mode of chahargah, corresponds entirely to the song 'Sirun jan' performed by the Armenian singer. Armenians are attempting to appropriate the song. Experts reaffirm that B. Nasibov's 'Garabagh' has been altered and renamed as 'Sirun jan' by Armenians. We assert that 'Garabagh,' where Bahram Nasibov is both the author of the lyrics and the music, was first performed by Arif Babayev in 1972. This song is one of the most renowned compositions of Azerbaijani composer Bahram Nasibov. The music and lyrics by Bahram Nasibov were officially registered on June 2, 1972, with the Intellectual Property Agency (then known as the Azerbaijani Branch of the All-Union Copyright Agency) and recognized as Azerbaijani cultural heritage."
Additionally, it was noted that Bahram Nasibov's heirs registered many of his compositions, including the song 'Garabagh,' with the Intellectual Property Agency (then called the Copyright Agency) on July 21, 2004, under certificate number 662.
The omission of Bahram Nasibov's name in the information related to the musical work 'Sirun jan' posted on the YouTube channel violates the author's personal rights, and from a commercial standpoint on YouTube, it infringes upon Bahram Nasibov's property rights. This situation also contravenes national legislation and Article 3 of the Convention establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), to which both Azerbaijan and Armenia are parties. The purpose of WIPO is 'to promote worldwide protection of intellectual property through cooperation between states and other international organizations.' It also breaches provisions of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, the WIPO Copyright Treaty, and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, all of which Azerbaijan and Armenia are signatories to. This case is another instance of long-standing Armenian appropriation of literary and musical works," the statement emphasized.
The agency highlighted an ongoing effort to combat the appropriation, theft, and misrepresentation of Azerbaijani authors' works, folklore, and other intangible cultural heritage by Armenians over the years. Each case is thoroughly investigated, and reports are prepared based on historical evidence proving the Azerbaijani origin of these works. These reports are disseminated through mass media channels.
