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Penalties of up to 15 years in prison for offense of hindering disease combat
The draft of the Government Emergency Ordinance amending Law No.286/2009 regarding the Criminal Code, adopted by the Government at the proposal of the Justice Ministry (MJ), stipulates penalties of up to 15 years in prison for committing the offense of hindering disease combat if the offense leads to the death of one or several persons.
"We took an important measure to amend the Criminal Code regarding the offenses committed in the context of the coronavirus epidemic, in which we decided to increase the penalties for false statements regarding the coronavirus epidemic. (...) There are several situations: the situation where a citizen returns from a country, where there is a number of cases and he/she either has to go into quarantine or isolation. These citizens must fill out a statement, but, in case they commit a forgery and don't tell the truth - what country, locality they are coming from - so that the authorities be able to make the correct decision - whether the decision of quarantine or isolation - they will suffer the consequences of the law. It means that they commit an offense, an offense that will be punished with imprisonment," PM Ludovic Orban told a press statement.
He mentioned that the penalties for the offense of hindering epidemic spreading combat have also been increased. "Those who do not comply with quarantine, who don't comply with the measures provided by the authorities, by the DSP [the Public Health Directorate], should also know that a criminal case will be drawn up. We cannot accept that irresponsible citizens who are in a situation of being isolated at home or in quarantine don't observe these decisions of the authorities, walk freely in the society and risk sickening the Romanian citizens. The primary duty of the Government is to defend the health of the citizens. In order to defend the Romanian citizens' health we will take measures as harsh as possible in order to punish those who do not comply with the decisions and rules established," the Prime Minister said.
According to Orban, a new offense has been introduced: omission of providing information.
"For instance, in case, during an epidemiological investigation someone doesn't provide complete information regarding the persons they got in contact with, trying to protect one or other, it is considered to be an omission in providing correct information to the authorities. And, in this situation, a criminal case can also be drawn up," the PM explained.