A lower criminal court on Thursday issued verdicts against 34 defendants for violating home quarantine imposed on them to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, Bahrain News Agency reported on Thursday. The court imposed fines ranging from 1,000 Bahraini dinars (nearly SR10,000) and 3,000 Bahraini dinars (nearly SR30,00) and ordered the deportation of three foreign defendants. It also imposed a fine of 5,000 Bahraini dinars on another defendant for transgressing a ministerial decision on resumption of some private establishments. The Public Health Directorate notified the Public Prosecution that 34 defendants had violated home confinement imposed on them as a preemptive measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Police investigation and the electronic monitoring system showed that they did not adhere to the quarantine imposed on them and left their homes during the preventive self-confinement period. A touristic restaurant and coffee shop also infringed on the health regulations by not checking the customers' temperature and receiving them without prior booking. The Public Prosecution launched an investigation immediately after receiving the notifications and referred the defendants to the court for a criminal trial.
