Okaz /Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The Public Prosecution announced on Friday that those committing the crime of intentionally transmitting the novel coronavirus infection to others would be punished severely.

The Public Prosecution said that the penalty for every person who purposely spreads COVID-19 infection to others — without infringing on any other penalties decided by the Shariah law or the regulations — will be the following: five years in prison and a fine not exceeding SR500,000.

If the accused is an expatriate, he will be deported from the Kingdom and totally banned from entering the country after that. The penalties will be added in the event of the offense being repeated.

The Public Prosecution stressed that intentionally spreading the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection is deemed among the crimes that rise to the level of exposing the public interest to danger, as it is protected by the public health system, due to the possibility of transmitting the infection by any intentional wrongdoing, in this regard.