The Civil Court has ordered Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) to pay MVR 40,000 as compensation to a local man after it was proven that the company has used the individual's design for a social media post without permission.
In a case filed at the Civil Court, Mohamed Faruhaan alleged that TMA has used his designs without consent in their social media posts on Instagram and Facebook. The posts were made as part of the company's celebration of the last Eid Al Fitr.
Faruhaan said that he shared his designs with the company as part of the job application for a creative designer announced by TMA.
But TMA had used his designs after informing that Faruhan had not been selected for the job.
Faruhan asked the court for his dues as TMA had wronged him.
TMA denied the charges. The Company said that the designs were made as part of the job selection process and that they were made as per the company's branding code and that its primary colors were used in the design.
The Company asked the Court to declare that Faruhan's design was in fact the Company's and that it does not have to pay any dues.
But the Civil Court sentencing said that TMA had denied Faruhan his rights and that there were distinctive differences used in the design that can only be attributed to the artist.
While Faruhan asked for MVR 100,000 as compensation, the court only ordered TMA to pay MVR 40,000 to the plaintiff for his design and legal fees.
