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Four persons sentenced for breaching compulsory quarantine order
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     Four persons were sentenced by magistrates' courts today (September 24) for violating the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap 599C) or the Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap 599E).
 
     The first two cases involved a man aged 52 and a woman aged 23, who were earlier issued a compulsory quarantine order stating that they must conduct quarantine at home for 14 days. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, the Police intercepted them in Wan Chai on April 1 upon receipt of a report, and were found to have removed their wristbands. They were charged with contravening sections 8 (4) and 8 (5) of the Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap 599E) and both were sentenced by the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today to six days' imprisonment suspended for one year, and fined $5,000.
 
     The third and fourth cases involved a man aged 67 and a woman aged 55. Before the expiry of their quarantine order, the man left the place of quarantine on April 5 and 6 respectively while the woman left the place of quarantine on May 12, without reasonable excuse nor permission given by an authorised officer. The man was charged with two counts of contravening sections 8(1), 8(4) and 8(5) while the woman was charged with one count of contravening section 8(1) and 8(5) of the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap 599C). The man was sentenced by the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts today to imprisonment for seven days for each of the two charges, suspended for one year while the woman was sentenced by the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts to immediate imprisonment for two weeks.
 
     Pursuant to the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap 599C) starting from February 8, save for exempted persons, all persons who have stayed in the Mainland, Macao or Taiwan in the 14 days preceding arrival in Hong Kong, regardless of their nationality or travel documents, will be subject to compulsory quarantine for 14 days. Moreover, pursuant to the Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap 599E), starting from March 19, all persons arriving from countries or territories outside China would also be subject to compulsory quarantine for 14 days. Breaching a 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 sentence sends a clear message to the community that breaching a compulsory quarantine order is a criminal offence that the Government will not tolerate, and solemnly reminded the public to comply with the compulsory quarantine regulations. As of today, a total of 50 persons have been convicted by the courts for breaching compulsory quarantine orders and have received sentences including immediate imprisonment for up to three months or a fine of $15,000. The spokesman reiterated that resolute actions will be taken against anyone who has breached the relevant regulations.
 
 
Ends/Thursday, September 24, 2020
Issued at HKT 20:12
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