Permanent Injunction Issues Restricting the Unauthorized Distribution of the Aga Khan’s Addresses and Writings

On January 7, 2011, Justice Harrington of the Federal Court granted summary judgment in favour of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan, declaring that two defendants infringed the Aga Khan's copyright and permanently restrained them from publishing and selling unauthorized copies of the Aga Khan's religious addresses and messages.

The Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Shia Imani Ismaili Muslims, regularly gives advice and guidance to his followers on both religious an temporal matters by various means including Farmans (addresses given before an audience) and Talikas (brief written religious messages). The Defendants collected, published and sold books of the Aga Khan's Farmans and Talikas as well as MP3 audio recordings of addresses given by the Aga Khan. After the Defendants failed to cease publication and distribution of the Farmans and Talikas following a request from the Aga Khan, the Aga Khan commenced an action in the Federal Court of Canada for copyright