Penalties for violation of the quarantine

LEGAL DIGEST, NEWS \ 31.03.2020

The Federation Council and the State Duma of the Russian Federation has adopted a Law stipulating administrative and criminal liability for non-compliance with the rules of the quarantine regime introduced in the Russian Federation from March 30, 2020 in connection with the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic.

According to the amendments for non-compliance with sanitary and hygienic rules during the quarantine period, administrative liability will be provided under article 6.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation:

• for citizens – a fine of 15,000 – 40,000 rubles;
• for officers – a fine of 50,000 – 150,000 rubles;
• for legal entities – a fine of 200,000 – 500,000 rubles or a suspension of activities for up to 90 days.

If the committed actions (inaction) entailed damage to human health or his or her death, but, at the same time, such actions are not a crime, then the liability will be increased:

• for citizens – a fine of 150,000 – 300,000 rubles;
• for officers – a fine of 300,000 – 500,000 rubles or disqualification for between 1 and 3 years;
• for legal entities – a fine of 500,000 – 1,000,000 rubles or a suspension of activities for up to 90 days.

The amendments also affected violations for non-compliance with the rules of conduct in introduction of a high-alert regime (which is introduced throughout Russia). Administrative liability is imposed for such acts:

• for citizens – a fine of 1,000 – 30,000 rubles;
• for officers – a fine of 10,000 – 50,000 rubles;
• for legal entities – a fine of 100,000 – 300,000 rubles or a suspension of activities for up to 90 days.

For non-compliance with the requirements specified above, and as a result of which a damage was caused to human health or property, the following penalty is provided:

• for citizens – a fine of 15,000 – 50,000 rubles;
• for officers – a fine of 300,000 – 500,000 rubles or disqualification for between 1 and 3 years;
• for legal entities – a fine of 500,000 – 1,000,000 rubles or a suspension of activities for up to 90 days.

In case of dissemination of deliberately false information in the mass media about circumstances that constitutes a threat to the life and safety of citizens, including during epidemics, administrative liability under article 13.15 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation will be provided:

• for officers – a fine of 300,000 – 600,000 rubles;
• for legal entities – a fine of 1,500,000 – 3,000,000 rubles with or without a forfeit of the subject of an administrative violation.

If false information causes the death of a person or mass violation of public order, the fine for legal entities will amount to 3,000,000 – 5,000,000 rubles.

For repeated violation, liability will be increased:

• for officers – a fine of 600,000 – 900,000 rubles or disqualification for between 1 and 3 years;
• for legal entities – a fine of 5,000,000 – 10,000,000 rubles with or without a forfeit of the subject of an administrative violation.

A criminal liability under article 236 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation will be provided for officers for violations of sanitary and epidemiological norms and hygienic rules that entail mass disease of people or the threat of such consequences:

• a fine of 500,000 – 700,000 rubles or in the amount of salary or other income for the period between one year and 18 months;
• deprivation of the right to occupy determined posts or to engage in a determined activity for a period between one and three years;
• restriction of liberty for up to two years;
• compulsory labour for up to two years;
• imprisonment for up to two years.

If the specified violation inadvertently caused the death of a person, then the criminal liability for the officer is as follows:

• a fine of 1,000,000 – 2,000,000 rubles or in the amount of salary or other income for the period between one and three years;
• restriction of liberty for the period between two and four years;
• compulsory labour for the period between three and five years;
• imprisonment for the period between three and five years.

For violation of sanitary and epidemiological rules that inadvertently caused the death of two or more persons, they will be punished with compulsory labour for the period between four and five years or imprisonment for the period between five and seven years.

An officer will face administrative liability for the public dissemination of deliberately false socially significant information that inadvertently caused damage to human health:

• a fine of 700,000 – 1,500,000 rubles or in the amount of the salary or other income of the convicted person for a period of up to 18 months;
• correctional tasks for up to one year ;
• compulsory labour for up to three years;
• imprisonment for up to three years.

Please be reminded that since March 30, Russia has introduced a regime of complete self-isolation, which obliges citizens not to leave their place of residence (stay). The initiator of the introduction of this regime was the Moscow City Government. Soon, all regions were tasked to introduce such a regime as a matter of urgency. During the quarantine, you may leave the house in case of a direct threat to life and health, as well as to:

• apply for an emergency (urgent) medical care;
• get to and from the place of work if you have to go to it during the quarantine period ;
• go to the nearest shop, pharmacy, or other place to purchase goods, works, or services;
• walk domestic animals at a distance of not more than 100 meters from the house;
• put out waste to the nearest place of its accumulation.

Documents: Draft Federal Law No. 804768-7, Draft Federal law No. 929651-7, Decree of the mayor of Moscow No. 34-UM, dated March 29, 2020.