Woman sentenced for breaching compulsory quarantine order

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     A 26-year-old woman was sentenced by the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (November 1) 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 a guest house for seven days. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, she left the place of quarantine on March 19, 2022, and removed her wristbrand without reasonable excuse nor permission given by an authorised officer. She was stopped by an immigration officer at Hong Kong International Airport. She was charged with one count of contravening sections 8(1) and (5) and two counts of contravening sections 8(4) and (5) of the Regulation and was sentenced by the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts to imprisonment for two weeks, suspended for 12 months, for each of the three charges, with the sentences to run concurrently.

     â€‹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 268 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.

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