People wearing masks cross the road in the Central area of Hong Kong, July 27, 2020. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
HONG KONG – A Hong Kong court on Wednesday sentenced two women to jail after they violated their compulsory quarantine orders.
The West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court sentenced a 39-year-old woman and a 27-year-old woman to 10 days in prison after they left their places of quarantine. The sentence for the second woman was suspended for 12 months.
Breaching a quarantine order is a criminal offence and offenders are subject to a maximum fine of HK$25,000 and imprisonment for six months
The first woman was earlier issued a compulsory quarantine order stating that she should be quarantined at home for 14 days.
But before the order expired, she left her home on December 20, 2020 without any reasonable excuse or permission from an authorized officer and was caught.
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The second woman was told to stay in a hotel for her 21 days but she also left before the quarantine ended.
Breaching a quarantine order is a criminal offence and offenders are subject to a maximum fine of HK$25,000 and imprisonment for six months.
A spokesman for the Department of Health said the court decisions send a clear message to the community that breaching a compulsory quarantine order is a criminal offence that the government will not tolerate, and reminded the public to comply with the rules.
As of Wednesday, a total of 156 persons have been convicted by the courts of breaching compulsory quarantine orders and have received sentences, including immediate imprisonment for up to 14 weeks or a fine of up to HK$15,000.
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The spokesman reiterated that resolute actions will be taken against anyone who violated health regulations.