A 21-year-old Russian student from a private university was fined RM10,000 by the Sessions Court today after admitting to illegally recording part of a movie during a cinema screening at a shopping mall in Bukit Jalil.
Judge Izralizam Sanusi imposed the fine—which carries a default sentence of 10 months’ imprisonment—on Golod Artem, who paid the amount.
The incident took place at 2.30pm on November 13 during a premiere screening of Now You See Me 3. Golod was found using his mobile phone to film the movie, an offence under Section 43A(1) of the Copyright Act 1987. The law provides for a fine of RM10,000 to RM100,000, up to five years’ imprisonment, or both.
According to case details, the cinema manager witnessed the accused using his phone to record and observed him for approximately 45 minutes before confronting him. A check of Golod’s phone gallery revealed a 31-minute recording of the movie.
CCTV footage later showed he had attempted a similar act on October 9.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Ikhwan Mohd Nasir called for a firm sentence, stressing that public interest must override personal intentions.
“The accused knew it was illegal to record in a cinema. As a foreign national, he is expected to respect our laws,” he said.
In mitigation, defence lawyer Kanesan Subrananiam argued for leniency, stating that the recording was meant for personal use and not for commercial distribution. He added that Golod had missed classes since his remand on November 13.
Golod avoided jail time after paying the minimum fine.
