What’s new: China has told courts and law enforcement agencies to stop handing down criminal convictions to people who violate quarantine and other pandemic containment rules, in a further softening of the government’s stance after it abruptly ditched the “zero-Covid” policy.
Violations of domestic Covid prevention and containment rules and border health checks will no longer be charged as crimes starting Jan. 8, according to a Saturday statement issued jointly by five state organs including the Supreme People’s Court and the Ministry of Public Security.
It added that authorities should “appropriately handle” ongoing cases and release those detained for breaking the rules and awaiting trial.
The context: Over the past year local courts have handed down criminal convictions to people who violated Covid quarantine rules as the government enforced strict lockdowns to stamp out infections, raising concerns among legal experts that the punishments were too severe for the transgressions.
Since China overturned its Covid policy, some legal experts have suggested a retrial of some closed Covid-related criminal cases, especially those that occurred after the Omicron variant became the dominant strain.
Related: China to End Quarantine for Crews on International Flights
Contact reporter Guo Yingzhe (yingzheguo@caixin.com)
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