Question: Recently, on mass media, there were reports on some individuals entered blockade areas and went on rampage, caused troubles and curse at on-duty forces, or obstructed, manipulated, induced, incited others not to comply with inspection, examination and control requirements; committed acts of threatening, insulting the honor and dignity of officials on duty of Covid-19 prevention control. How are these acts handled?
Answer: Lawyer Nguyen Thi My Dung, Deputy Director of Becamex Law Firm: Currently, the Covid-19 threat is developing, local administrations have set up quarantine points to obtain medical information and check body temperature of passers-by...
Functional forces check papers of passers-by through checkpoints in Di An city.
Apart from the majority people nationwide, there are some people who not only do not comply with the regulations as going through disease control checkpoints but also show resistance to on-duty officials. Organizations and individuals that do not comply with regulations on Covid-19 prevention and control, resist requirements of on-duty officials will be administratively handled according to Decree 167/2013/ND-CP, as follows:
- According to provisions of Clause 2, Article 20: a person, who obstructs; instigates, induces; incites others not to comply with inspection, examination, and control requests, or has threatening, insulting words or actions offending the honor and dignity of officials on duty of Covid-19 prevention control, will be fined from VND 2 million to VND 3 million to individuals (from VND 4 million to VND 6 million to organizations).
- According to Points a and b, Clause 3, Article 20: Violent acts of threats against on-duty officials, or acts causing damage to property and means of State agencies or persons that are under duty to prevent and control the Covid-19, but are not serious enough to be examined for criminal liability, a fine between VND 3 million and VND 5 million will be imposed on each individual (from VND 6 million to VND 10 million on each organization).
In addition, organizations and individuals that commit the above acts can also be criminally handled: Acts of violence, threats of violence or other tricks to obstruct officials on duty of Covid-19 prevention control can be handled according to Article 330 of the Criminal Code 2015 (amended and supplemented 2017) with a maximum fine of up to 7 years in prison. Acts of causing damage to property and means of State agencies, depending on the degree of damage will be penalized for the crime of destroying or intentionally damaging property in Article 178 of Criminal Code 2015 (amended and supplemented 2017).
Reported by Tam Trang - Translated by Ngoc Huynh
