A 56-year-old woman was sentenced to imprisonment for seven days suspended for 12 months and fined $2,000 by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (May 26) for violating the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C).

     The woman was earlier issued a compulsory quarantine order stating that she must conduct quarantine at home for seven days. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, she left the place of quarantine on August 26, 2021, without reasonable excuse nor permission given by an authorised officer. She was charged with contravening sections 8(1) and 8(5) of the Regulation and was sentenced by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today to imprisonment for seven days suspended for 12 months and fined $2,000.

     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 237 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.

Ends/Thursday, May 26, 2022
Issued at HKT 18:15

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