Fight against movie piracy bearing fruit

打击电影盗版初见成效

While this year's Spring Festival box office broke records and was the source of a major boost in consumer spending nationwide, authorities also made gains in their campaign against film piracy.

尽管今年春节电影票房打破了纪录，并极大地促进了全国范围内的消费支出，但相关部门在打击电影盗版方面也取得了进展。

Since the latest campaign launched in January, more than 40 people have been detained on suspicion of unauthorized filming, pirating recordings and illegal distribution of this year's Spring Festival blockbusters, according to official data released Sunday.

据周日发布的官方数据显示，自今年1月启动最新一轮打击行动以来，已有40余人因涉嫌未经授权拍摄、盗版录制及非法传播今年春节档热门电影而被拘留。

The campaign is being carried out by the National Copyright Administration, the China Film Administration, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. It aims to crack down on piracy in the film industry and raise public awareness of copyright protection.

此次行动由国家版权局、国家电影局、公安部和文化旅游部联合开展，旨在打击电影行业的盗版行为，并提高公众对版权保护的意识。

By Feb 20, authorities had removed nearly 2.3 million web links that infringed on the copyrights of recent box office hits. They also banned or restricted 4,116 online accounts for repeatedly violating copyright laws, officials said.

截至2月20日，相关部门已删除近230万条侵犯近期热门电影版权的网络链接。官员们表示，他们还封禁或限制了4116个因多次违反版权法而被查处的网络账号。

In Jinhua, Zhejiang province, police detained 11 people suspected of setting up websites and apps to distribute pirated copies of blockbusters such as Ne Zha 2 and Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force for profit. The suspects earned more than 14 million yuan ($1.9 million) combined, according to the National Copyright Administration.

在浙江省金华市，警方拘留了11名嫌疑人，他们涉嫌设立网站和应用程序，以营利为目的非法传播《哪吒2》和《封神榜II：妖灭》等大片的盗版内容。据国家版权局称，这些嫌疑人共计获利1400多万元人民币（约合190万美元）。

Police in Anhui province cracked a similar case, detaining 10 suspects and seizing more than 12 million yuan in illicit gains, officials said.

安徽省警方也破获了一起类似案件，拘留了10名嫌疑人，并缴获了1200多万元人民币的非法所得，官员们表示。

With the animated film Ne Zha 2 now ranked seventh on the all-time global box office chart, authorities have also targeted unauthorized commercial use of its characters.

随着动画电影《哪吒2》跻身全球影史票房榜第七名，相关部门也将打击非法商业使用其角色形象作为重点。

Police in Chongqing detained five people after discovering they allegedly reproduced and sold unauthorized copies of Ne Zha 2 and other animated films. Officials said the suspects raked in more than 5.3 million yuan.

重庆警方拘留了五人，因为他们涉嫌复制并销售《哪吒2》及其他动画电影的盗版拷贝。官方称，这些嫌疑人共获利530多万元人民币。

"Movies are the result of the hard work of creators. Piracy and illegal broadcasting are like cancer in the film industry, severely hindering its healthy development," said Lai Chunlei, a lawyer at Beijing Huazi Law Firm. "As viewers, we must firmly reject pirated films, and if we encounter anyone selling or distributing them, we should report it to the authorities immediately."

“电影是创作者辛勤劳动的结晶。盗版和非法播放如同电影行业的毒瘤，严重阻碍了其健康发展，”北京华兹律师事务所的赖春雷律师表示。“作为观众，我们必须坚决抵制盗版电影，如果碰到有人出售或传播盗版电影，应立即向有关部门举报。”

China's Criminal Law states that individuals who pirate films for profit can be sentenced to up to three years in prison and fined. If the illegal proceeds are substantial or the offense is deemed severe, the maximum sentence is seven years.

《中华人民共和国刑法》规定，以营利为目的盗版电影的个人可被判处三年以下有期徒刑并处罚金。如果违法所得数额巨大或者有其他严重情节，最高可判处七年有期徒刑。

"Whether it is unauthorized recording or selling pirated copies, both acts violate film copyrights," Lai said. "Violators of both crimes must be strictly punished to maintain order in the film market."

赖（指赖春雷律师）说：“无论是非法录制还是销售盗版拷贝，这两种行为都侵犯了电影版权。必须对这两种犯罪的违法者予以严厉惩处，以维护电影市场的秩序。”