Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Public Prosecution announced on Wednesday that the number of cases registered for violations of coronavirus procedures has reached 746.

Criminal cases have been filed against all those who violated the precautionary measures to confront coronavirus, spokesman of the Public Prosecution said adding that its Monitoring Center has intensified round the clock follow-up on everything that is being circulated on social media sites in order to detect committing of any criminal acts.

He said that there were 485 cases of videos purporting to show curfew violations, while the number of criminal cases associated with the violation of coronavirus preventive measures reached 508. “Penalty for photographing and publishing curfew violation amounts to five year in prison and a fine of SR3 million while the penalty for commercial cover-up is SR1 million in fine, two-year jail term, revocation of the commercial registry, shutting down of the firm and deportation of foreigners,” he said.

The spokesman warned against activities related to commercial fraud, price manipulation and cover-up, and rumors associated with providing false information with regard to scarcity of supplies.

“The total number of cases received by the Public Prosecution Office stood 13,676, of which decisions were taken on 10,590 cases with the Prosecutors taking 312,257 procedures.

The cases of spreading rumors and inciting public sentiments reached 41 cases, while the number of complaints lodged in “Maa’kum” (With you) service stood at 275 complaints, while the number of services provided remotely by Public Prosecution reached 2119 services, he added.