PJ arrests man on allegations of spreading rumors

The Judiciary Police (PJ) has announced the arrest of a local 46-year-old man, suspected of having committed crimes against public security, order, and peace during sudden incidents of a public nature.
According to the PJ report, the man is accused of fabricating and disseminating rumors online about the current Covid-19 pandemic situation in Macau, with the intent to cause panic among the population.
On August 4, the PJ discovered that, on a social media post praising the Macau frontline workers who carried out the anti-epidemic work, there was a comment stating that five of such workers had been diagnosed with Covid-19 during work.
After several inquiries, the PJ found that the content of the comment was false, instilling the idea that there were new confirmed cases. This was, in the current social climate, considered to be “enough to provoke panic or public anxiety, harming the security and public order and affecting the MSAR government’s epidemic prevention work,” the PJ stated.
The police managed to identify and locate the suspect on the afternoon of August 5, taking him into questioning.
The suspect then confessed to producing false statements to be spread online in order to attract attention and discussion among internet users and the general public.
According to the PJ, evidence was also found on the suspect’s computer proving he produced and published the content online.
He was sent to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) to be accused of the violation of Article 26 (Crime against public security, order, and peace in sudden incidents of a public nature) of Law 11/2020 (Legal regime for civil protection). He is the first person to be charged under this new law provision, which aims to prevent people from spreading rumors during sensitive times, such as during a severe typhoon event.
The police also said that – during the investigation of this case – the man has plead to other crimes in the past — early this year and in 2016. In both cases, he was accused of property damage.
The PJ also warned members of the public that the “immediate prevention status” enforced by the Chief Executive order from August 3 is still in force and that all messages, posts, and comments containing false or unconfirmed information during this period are subject to criminal liability.