China to release those arrested for violating COVID-19 measures

By Emre Aytekin

BEIJING (AA) - China on Saturday announced that it will release those arrested in the last three years for violating pandemic measures, after the change in the direction of its COVID-19 policy.

The government called on local governments, courts, law enforcement, and customs units for an end to COVID-19-related prosecutions, as restrictions, imposed under the country's Border Health and Quarantine Law, will be lifted on Sunday.

It also said the suspects arrested for violating the pandemic measures should be released "in a timely and appropriate manner."

Quarantine and control measures at the borders will no longer be handled judicially, the government noted, recommending that the relevant units follow a policy of tolerance and non-punishment.

China's National Health Commission (NHC) announced on Dec. 26, 2022 that it is downgrading COVID-19 from a Class A infectious disease to Class B to further ease the measures in the country.

COVID-19 has changed from a "novel coronavirus pneumonia" to a "novel coronavirus infection," it said.

China, as of Sunday, will not impose a quarantine on those entering the country or on COVID-19 patients, in accordance with the Frontier Health and Quarantine Law, the NHC added.

It also said the “daily epidemic information will no longer be released,” while the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which will collect data for “reference and research,” will release the info on a monthly basis.