Iranian “Prophet Joseph (AS)” screenwriter found guilty of plagiarism

TEHRAN, Apr. 7 (MNA) -- Farajollah Salahshur, the screenwriter and director of “Prophet Joseph (AS)”, lost the legal case over plagiarism for the TV series on Sunday.

Shahabeddin Taheri sued Salahshur, accusing him of plagiarizing the TV series “Prophet Joseph (AS)” by lifting a screenplay he had written on Prophet Joseph (AS) years ago.

IRIB’s Channel 1 broadcast the TV series in 2008 and 2009.

Last year, a Tehran court assigned the team led by Abbas Babeveihi to investigate allegations of plagiarism against Salahshur.

Based on an investigation that lasted 170 days, the court said on Sunday that Salahshur used at least 20 percent of Taheri’s screenplay for making “Prophet Joseph (AS)”.

The court concluded that “the illegal exploitation” would cost 20 percent of the sum Salahshur received from IRIB for writing the screenplay for the TV series.

Salahshur rejected the court’s decision, announcing that he plans to appeal the decision.

“This case will never be settled through compromise and dialogue, because it is a challenge to my reputation and must be seen through to its conclusion,” he said.

The serial has been purchased by Tajikistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Turkey.