A 37-year-old woman was sentenced by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (November 24) to imprisonment for two weeks, suspended for 18 months, for violating the Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap. 599E).

     The woman was earlier issued a compulsory quarantine order stating that she must conduct quarantine at a hotel for 14 days. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, she left the place of quarantine twice on July 18, 2021, without reasonable excuse nor permission given by an authorised officer. She was charged with two counts of contravening sections 8(1) and 8(5) of the Regulation and was sentenced by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today to imprisonment for two weeks, suspended for 18 months, for the two charges respectively, with the sentences to run concurrently.
 
     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 sentence sends 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 202 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 action will be taken against anyone who has breached the relevant regulations.

Ends/Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Issued at HKT 18:00

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