Selected year snapshot
For 1999, the active event in this file is Copyright Act, 1965 (Act No. 28 of 1965).
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Current rationale
Sierra Leone's copyright law in force on 1990-01-01 was the Copyright Act, 1965 (Act No. 28 of 1965). Despite extensive web searching, the full statutory text of this Act could not be located or verified online. No digitised version was found on WIPO Lex, the Sierra Leone Parliament website, or any other official source. Without access to the actual text, it is impossible to determine what exceptions and limitations existed for research, private study, or related purposes. The classification is therefore AMBIGUOUS based on inability to verify the statutory text, not mere analytical uncertainty.
Law changes
Copyright Act, 1965 (Act No. 28 of 1965)
Baseline · Effective 1965-01-01
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Dates: Effective 1965-01-01 · Enacted 1965-01-01
Why this score
Sierra Leone's copyright law in force on 1990-01-01 was the Copyright Act, 1965 (Act No. 28 of 1965). Despite extensive web searching, the full statutory text of this Act could not be located or verified online. No digitised version was found on WIPO Lex, the Sierra Leone Parliament website, or any other official source. Without access to the actual text, it is impossible to determine what exceptions and limitations existed for research, private study, or related purposes. The classification is therefore AMBIGUOUS based on inability to verify the statutory text, not mere analytical uncertainty.
The Copyright Act, 2011 (Act No. 8 of 2011)
Relevant update · Effective 2011-10-06
60%
Relevant section: Sections 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36
Dates: Effective 2011-10-06 · Enacted 2011-10-06
Why this score
The Copyright Act, 2011 replaced the 1965 Act and introduced a detailed set of exceptions in Part IV (Sections 27–37). Evaluating all exceptions relevant to research use:
1. Section 27 (Private reproduction for personal purposes): Permits reproduction by a natural person exclusively for personal purposes, but explicitly excludes entire books, musical works in notation form, databases in electronic form, and works of architecture. This is the most permissive general exception for research by individuals, but it restricts both the user class (natural persons only, personal purposes) and excludes certain categories of works.
2. Section 29 (Quotation): Only permits reproduction of a 'short part' — this is RED-level.
3. Section 30 (Teaching): Limited to teaching purposes and short parts/extracts — not directly a research exception.
4. Section 31 (Library/archive reproduction): Limited to published articles, short works, or short extracts, and only to satisfy requests of natural persons for study, scholarship, or private research. This is a library exception but limited to short works/extracts — RED/ORANGE level.
5. Section 34 (Computer programmes): Permits reproduction and adaptation of computer programs for specific purposes — narrow.
6. Section 35 (Importation for personal purposes): Permits importation of a single copy for personal purposes.
The most permissive exception is Section 27 — private reproduction for personal purposes. It permits reproduction of full works (not just excerpts) but with important exclusions: entire books, musical notation, electronic databases, and architecture are excluded. It is limited to natural persons for personal purposes only (no sharing, no institutional use). Since it permits full-work reproduction for at least some categories of works but excludes others, and is limited to personal/private use by natural persons, the classification must account for both the user restriction (LIGHT BLUE) and the work-type exclusions (ORANGE). Under the compound-restriction rule, the most restrictive element governs. However, the user restriction (natural person, personal purposes) maps to LIGHT BLUE, and the work exclusions map to ORANGE. ORANGE is more restrictive than LIGHT BLUE in the hierarchy. But re-reading the hierarchy: LIGHT BLUE is more restrictive than ORANGE (GREEN > BLUE > LIGHT BLUE > PURPLE > ORANGE > RED). Actually, the hierarchy states GREEN > BLUE > LIGHT BLUE > PURPLE > ORANGE > RED, meaning LIGHT BLUE is MORE permissive than ORANGE. The compound restriction rule says classify according to the most restrictive element. The work-type exclusion (ORANGE) is more restrictive than the user restriction (LIGHT BLUE). So the classification should be ORANGE.
However, re-examining: Section 27 excludes 'entire books' but does permit reproduction of works that are not entire books — articles, shorter literary works, audiovisual works, photographs, etc. can be reproduced in full. The exclusion of 'entire books' and certain other categories means full-work reproduction IS available for many types of works but NOT for all. This fits ORANGE.
But wait — the user restriction to 'natural person exclusively for personal purposes' is also present. Under the compound restriction rule, the most restrictive element governs. In the hierarchy GREEN > BLUE > LIGHT BLUE > PURPLE > ORANGE > RED, ORANGE is more restrictive than LIGHT BLUE. So the compound restriction yields ORANGE.
Non-commercial/personal restriction is noted as a classification-neutral factor for non-commercial restrictions, but the 'personal purposes' qualifier restricts the user class to individuals, which IS relevant (LIGHT BLUE). The work-type exclusion is ORANGE. Most restrictive = ORANGE.
Classification: ORANGE.
Exceptions considered
Private reproduction for personal purposes by a natural person; excludes entire books, musical notation, electronic databases, and architecture
Transient or incidental reproduction as part of a technological process to enable use of the work
Quotation — reproduction of a short part of a published work, compatible with fair practice
Reproduction for teaching purposes — short parts, illustrations, reprographic reproduction of articles/short works in educational institutions
Library/archive reprographic reproduction of published articles, short works, or short extracts for study, scholarship, or private research of a natural person
Reproduction and adaptation of computer programmes by lawful owner for specific purposes
Importation of a single copy for personal purposes
Original text
27. (1) The reproduction of a published work shall be permitted without the authorisation of the author or owner of copyright, where the reproduction is made by a natural person exclusively for his own personal purposes, provided that the work so reproduced is not a work of architecture in the form of a building or other construction, it is not an entire book, or a musical work in the form of notation, and it is not a database in electronic form. 28. The reproduction of a work in a single copy shall be permitted without the authorisation of the author or owner of copyright, where the reproduction is a transient or incidental reproduction that is a necessary part of a technological process, the purpose of which is to enable the use of the work. 29. The reproduction of a short part of a published work in the form of a quotation shall be permitted without the authorisation of the author or owner of copyright, provided that the reproduction is compatible with fair practice and does not exceed the extent justified by the purpose, and the source of the work and the name of the author are indicated. 30. (1) The following acts shall be permitted without the authorisation of the author or owner of copyright– (a) the reproduction of a short part of a published work for teaching purposes by way of illustration, in writing or sound or visual recordings, provided that such reproduction is compatible with fair practice and does not exceed the extent justified by the purpose; (b) the reprographic reproduction, for face-to-face teaching in educational institutions the activities of which do not serve direct or indirect commercial gain, of published articles, other short works or short extracts of works, to the extent justified by the purpose, provided that– (i) the act of reproduction is an isolated one occurring, if repeated, on separate and unrelated occasions; and (ii) there is no collective licence available. 31. (1) Any library or archive whose activities do not serve direct or indirect commercial gain may, without the authorisation of the author or owner of copyright, make a single copy of the work by reprographic reproduction– (a) where the work reproduced is a published article, other short work or short extract of a work, and where the purpose of the reproduction is to satisfy the request of a natural person, provided that– (i) the library or archive is satisfied that the copy will be used solely for the purposes of study, scholarship or private research; (ii) the act of reproduction is an isolated one occurring, if repeated, on separate and unrelated occasions; and (iii) there is no collective licence available. 32. (1) Subject to subsection (2), the reproduction and the making available to the public by broadcasting or in a newspaper, magazine or other periodical of an article published in a newspaper, magazine or other periodical on current economic, political or religious topics, or of a broadcast work of the same character, shall be permitted in cases in which the reproduction, broadcasting or such making available to the public is not expressly reserved.
Source links
The Copyright Act, 2011 (Act No. 8 of 2011)
Current law confirmation · Effective 2011-10-06
20%
Relevant section: Sections 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36
Dates: Effective 2011-10-06 · Enacted 2011-10-06
Why this score
As of 2025, the Copyright Act, 2011 (Act No. 8 of 2011) remains the copyright statute in force in Sierra Leone. No amending legislation affecting the exceptions and limitations provisions (Part IV, Sections 27–37) was found via web search. The most permissive exception relevant to research remains Section 27 (private reproduction for personal purposes). This permits a natural person to reproduce a published work for personal purposes, which would include private research and study. However, it explicitly excludes: (1) entire books, (2) musical works in notation form, (3) databases in electronic form, and (4) works of architecture. It also covers only reproduction (not sharing/communication) and is limited to natural persons for personal purposes. The library exception (Section 31) is limited to articles, short works, and short extracts — it does not permit full-work reproduction. No fair dealing, fair use, general research exception, TDM exception, or three-step-test enabling clause exists in the Act. Applying the compound-restriction rule to Section 27: the user restriction (natural persons, personal purposes = LIGHT BLUE) and the work-type exclusions (excludes entire books, musical notation, electronic databases = ORANGE). ORANGE is more restrictive than LIGHT BLUE in the hierarchy, so the classification is ORANGE. Non-commercial/personal purpose restrictions are classification-neutral per the rules, but the restriction to 'natural person exclusively for his own personal purposes' is a user-class restriction (not merely a non-commercial restriction), which would independently yield LIGHT BLUE. The work-type exclusion is the binding constraint yielding ORANGE.
Exceptions considered
Private reproduction for personal purposes by a natural person; excludes entire books, musical notation, electronic databases, and architecture
Transient or incidental reproduction as part of a technological process
Quotation — short part of a published work
Teaching — short parts, reprographic reproduction of articles/short works in educational institutions
Library/archive reprographic reproduction of articles, short works, or short extracts for study, scholarship, or private research
Reproduction and adaptation of computer programmes by lawful owner
Importation of a single copy for personal purposes
Original text
27. (1) The reproduction of a published work shall be permitted without the authorisation of the author or owner of copyright, where the reproduction is made by a natural person exclusively for his own personal purposes, provided that the work so reproduced is not a work of architecture in the form of a building or other construction, it is not an entire book, or a musical work in the form of notation, and it is not a database in electronic form.