KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- A Russian man was fined RM10,000 by the Sessions Court here today after he pleaded guilty to recording a film screening using his mobile phone at a cinema in a Bukit Jalil shopping mall.
Judge Izralizam Sanusi meted out the fine, in default 10 months imprisonment, on Golod Artem, 21, a private university student. He paid the fine.
Golod was charged with using his mobile phone to record part of the movie “Now You See Me 3” during a screening at the cinema at 2.30 pm last Nov 13.
The offence falls under Section 43A(1) of the Copyright Act 1987, which carries a minimum fine of RM10,000 and a maximum of RM100,000, or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
According to the facts of the case, the cinema manager saw the accused take out his phone and begin recording while the film was being screened.
After monitoring the situation for about 45 minutes, the manager entered the cinema and stood behind the accused to verify the act.
Once convinced that the accused was indeed recording, the complainant escorted him to another room. A check of the accused’s mobile phone gallery revealed a 31-minute clip of the film “Now You See Me 3”, which was being screened during a premiere session.
A review of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage also showed that the accused had committed a similar act on Oct 9.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Ikhwan Mohd Nasir urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence, emphasising that public interest must take precedence over personal interest.
“The accused is fully aware that recording inside a cinema is an offence. As a foreign national, he should also respect the laws of this country,” he said.
Meanwhile, lawyer Kanesan Subrananiam, representing the accused, appealed for a lighter sentence, arguing that the recording was made for personal use and not for commercial distribution.
He also told the court that his client had missed classes since being remanded on Nov 13.
-- BERNAMA
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