SAMARA, April 20 - RAPSI. The low rate of criminal prosecution in intellectual property protection cases is the result of a systematic problem, Gorodissky & Partners lawyer Daniil Murashov said on Friday. Law enforcement and judicial authorities are reluctant to consider such cases, he said.

"The application of the Criminal Code to protect intellectual property rights is not absent in practice, but it is scanty," he said while addressing the Intellectual Property Protection: Contemporary Practice Development Forum.

According to the lawyer, "with no practical experience, law enforcement authorities are apprehensive about initiating such cases."

He said that "judges do not want to be involved in bona fide titleholders crusades against counterfeit products" and they also "do not want to be assigned to handle such cases."

Murashov said the problem can only be resolved by gaining the relevant experience.