Nine prosecuted for breaching ‘confinement’ rules, another 810 warned
A total of nine people in Macau have been detained and referred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) to be investigated and charged with breaching the provisions of Article 30 of Law number 2/2004 on the Prevention, Control, and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, according to representatives of the police authorities at the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center.
According to the representative of the Unitary Police Services (SPU), Cheong Kin Ian, the police forces filed for the prosecution of four new people from yesterday as of 3 p.m. in addition to five others from Monday.
Despite refusing to address the infractions committed by the nine suspects in detail, Cheong said that four of the cases related to non-compliance with facemask mandates.
Additionally, the police forces issued 810 warnings in total in the period between midnight and 3 p.m. of July 12, noting that, in most cases, these warnings were issued to people for the “improper use of facemasks, public smoking, among others.”
“These situations continue to happen and the authorities, should they catch the suspects red-handed, may immediately forward them to the MP and the courts for follow-up. They will be tried immediately following the ordinary procedures,” he said.
“Regarding non-resident workers, if they breach the law, in addition to incurring criminal responsibility they also risk the cancelation of their blue cards,” Cheong said, appealing to everyone to abide by the law.
The representative of the Public Security Police Force (PSP), Lei Tak Fai, noted that the latest case (out of the nine previously mentioned) involves a 50-year-old man who was caught breaching the law at Iao Hon area around 3 p.m. yesterday.
According to previous reports from the PSP, the first four cases involved four men – two local residents, and another two non-resident workers from the mainland and Vietnam who were caught not wearing facemasks on the street while they engaged in physical activities such as jogging or cycling.
Lei remarked that it “is not the goal” of police to find and prosecute citizens, rather, it aims to ensure that people abide by the law and that society is protected. He noted that the over 800 cases in which the officers opted to issue a mere warning were related to “not so serious offenses.”
While the police will continue to issue these warnings, “we will progressively be more rigorous with […] law enforcement,” he concluded.
