Five persons sentenced for breaching compulsory quarantine order
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Five persons were sentenced by the Magistrates’ Courts today (August 25) for violating the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C).
The five cases involve three men and two women aged between 29 and 74, who were each issued with a compulsory quarantine order on different dates earlier stating that they must conduct quarantine at home for 14 days. Before the expiry of their respective quarantine orders, they left the places of quarantine without reasonable excuse nor permission given by an authorised officer. The five persons were charged with contravening either sections 8(1) and 8(5) or sections 8(4) and 8(5) of Cap. 599C. They were sentenced by the Magistrates’ Courts today to imprisonment for seven to 20 days, with the sentences for three of them suspended for 12 months.
Breaching a compulsory quarantine order is a criminal offence and offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months. A spokesman for the Department of Health said the sentences send a clear message to the community that breaching a quarantine order is a criminal offence that the Government will not tolerate, and solemnly reminded the public to comply with the regulations. As of today, a total of 175 persons have been convicted by the courts for breaching quarantine orders and have received sentences including immediate imprisonment for up to 14 weeks or a fine of up to $15,000. The spokesman reiterated that resolute actions will be taken against anyone who has breached the relevant regulations.