MOSCOW - A Russian court on Thursday slapped a $1,700 fine on a Moscow cinema which screened British comedy-satire The Death of Stalin in defiance of an official ban, prompting a police raid. The judge fined the arthouse Pioneer Cinema 100,000 rubles (1,450 euros) for the administrative violation of screening the film last month without a distribution certificate, Russian agencies reported. Pioneer, which showed The Death of Stalin four times, said in a statement that it would appeal the fine. But Pioneer Cinema went ahead and showed Armando Iannucci's dark comedy despite the ban, with police officers later raiding the venue. The cinema pulled the rest of the planned screenings, citing "reasons beyond our control" and promised to refund all tickets.

Source: Bangkok Post February 22, 2018 17:26 UTC