China stresses harsh punishment on epidemic-related crimes

China vows to strengthen the crackdown on crimes related to the novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) in a bid to safeguard people's lives and health, according to a guideline issued on Monday.

The guideline, jointly released by the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice, identified and specified several illegal acts that jeopardize epidemic prevention and control.

Acts of deliberately spreading the novel coronavirus shall be punished as the crime of endangering public safety by dangerous means, which includes both confirmed and suspected NCP patients refusing isolation and treatment and taking public transportation or going to a public place to spread the virus, said the guideline.

It stressed that strong actions should be taken to punish hoarding protective equipment such as masks and goggles and intentional price hikes amid the epidemic prevention and control, and acts of profiteering that severely disturb market order during the epidemic period shall be punished as the crime of illegal operations.

Illegally buying endangered wildlife under special state protection and products thereof for eating or other purposes shall be punished as the crime of illegal purchase of precious and endangered species of wildlife and products thereof, it said.

The guideline also noted other illegal acts including abuse of power and dereliction of duty in anti-epidemic efforts, violence against medical personnel and making up and spreading rumors about the virus.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)