TOKYO: A Japanese court on Wednesday ruled that late comedy icon Charlie Chaplin still holds the copyright for his work until 2015, in the first ruling of its kind. The decision came as the Tokyo District Court ruled that two Tokyo-based DVD producers violated the copyrights of nine Chaplin movies by duplicating and selling cheap DVDs.

“Their copyright should be protected for 38 years after the death of the rights holder,” presiding Judge Misao Shimizu said. “The authorship of the nine movies belongs to Chaplin.” The court suspended the sales of the DVDs and ordered the companies to pay 10.5 million yen ($91,400) in compensation to the Roy Export Company Establishment, which holds the rights to Chaplin's movies.

Chaplin died in 1977. It was Japan's first ruling of its kind on the copyrights of a late film director.

The nine movies, released between 1919 and 1952, included Chaplin's celebrated parody of Adolf Hitler, “The Great Dictator,” along with “Modern Times” and “The Gold Rush.” Roy Export had sought the suspension of the cheap DVDs and 94 million yen in compensation, arguing the companies violated the copyrights.—AFP