Kuala lumpur: 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 imposed the fine, with an alternative of 10 months imprisonment, on Golod Artem, a 21-year-old private university student. He subsequently paid the fine.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Golod was charged with using his mobile device to record part of the movie 'Now You See Me 3' during a screening at the cinema at 2:30 pm on November 13 of last year. The charge is under Section 43A(1) of the Copyright Act 1987, which stipulates a minimum fine of RM10,000 and a maximum of RM100,000, or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.

The incident came to light when the cinema manager observed the accused taking out his phone and starting to record while the movie was being shown. After monitoring him for approximately 45 minutes, the manager approached Golod and verified the act. The manager then escorted him to another room, where a check of the phone's gallery revealed a 31-minute clip of 'Now You See Me 3', captured during a premiere session.

Further investigation through closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage indicated that Golod had engaged in a similar act on October 9. Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Ikhwan Mohd Nasir urged the court to impose a fitting sentence, highlighting that public interest must outweigh personal interest. He stated, '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.'

In defense, lawyer Kanesan Subrananiam appealed for a more lenient sentence, citing that the recording was intended for personal use and not for commercial distribution. He also informed the court that his client had missed classes since being remanded on November 13.