Russia to jail quarantine violators for up to seven years amid COVID-19 crisis

In a bid to further improve the precautionary measures in Russia to combat the deadly Coronavirus outbreak, the lawmakers have proposed seven years in prison to the violators of quarantine rules. As the number of infections in the country spike to 495 and COVID-19 has caused at least one death, the legislation is due to be discussed on March 25 which along with a prison term also includes punishments like fines between $6,400 to $25,700 for violating isolation.

If a quarantine ‘dodger’ is found guilty of causing the death of an individual in Russia or is found intentionally infecting many people, they would face at least five years. Moreover, an individual will be subjected to seven years in jail if two or more persons died due to COVID-19 infection because of the individual.

According to international reports, since these amendments to Russia’s Criminal Code have been proposed by Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the lower house.

Read - Russia Ramps Up Measures Against Coronavirus As Cases Grow

Read - Russia Ramps Up Measures Against Coronavirus As Cases Grow

'Lockdown is not enough'

While Russia is considering jail-term for people violating the lockdown, the World Health Organisation’s top official has said that in order to combat the deadly Coronavirus outbreak, just lockdowns are “not enough”. This comes as the fatal virus has now spread to over 197 countries and the global infection count has crossed 422,959, which has prompted major cities to go under lockdown.

The leaders have viewed social distancing as the most effective way to tackle the pandemic. However, Dr Mike Ryan said that countries should instead focus on “finding who is sick” and then “isolate them”. 

In a televised interview with an international media outlet, Ryan has said, "The danger right now with the lockdowns ... if we don't put in place the strong public health measures now, when those movement restrictions and lockdowns are lifted, the danger is the disease will jump back up."

Most of the European countries, along with the United States have followed the strict measures taken by China and other Asian countries in order to stem the virus spread.

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Image source: AP