我國著作權法自民國17年5月14日公布至今，已歷經16次修法；其中11次更動到刑罰條文，其修法趨勢為增加處罰的範圍及法律效果。著作權為無體財產權，屬民事法規定之範疇，著作權法亦屬內國法，其修訂卻深受國際影響──美國之「特別三0一條款」及與貿易相關之智慧財產協定（Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights,簡稱TRIPS）。
刑罰，因對人民之基本權侵害嚴重，而自有其嚴謹之原則與目的。欲以刑罰方式處罰侵害著作權之行為，則該等處罰之效果應同時符合著作權法之目的及刑罰之目的，但實際上並不然。我國著作權刑罰規定的存在具有爭議。
本論文介紹國際上對著作權保護之情形、我國著作權法刑罰部份之現行規定，及影響我國著作權刑罰修訂之國際因素，分析著作權刑罰規定存在的疑義，進而提出著作權刑罰規定之除罪化理由，及除罪化後之替代方案，期能提供日後修法參考。
Since its promulgation on May 14.1928, the Copyright Law has gone through sixteen amendments, eleven of which have involved criminal penalty clauses, with aims to increase the punitive scope and legal effect. Copyright is among intangible property right, which is part of the property law. Despite its nature of a domestic law, the Law has been astoundingly affected, when amended, by international factors—the U.S. Special 301 as well as the TRIPS.
Criminal penalty is subject to rigorous principles and purposes because of its serious violation of people’s basic rights. Any action in punishment of copyright violation on the criminal penalty basis should have effects enough to meet purposes of the Law and criminal penalty. The infusion of criminal penalty clauses into the Law has been controversial.
In addition to introducing protection measures in the international society, current stipulations in the Law and impacts on its penalty amendments from international factors, the thesis analyzes existing disputes about the Law’s penalty clause and proposes its decriminalization, as well as its alternative solution. It is my humble hope that such proposals would be taken into consideration in the Law’s future amendment.
