Alluding To Rachel Vennya, Polri: Health Quarantine Violators Can Be Imprisoned For 1 Year

Karo Penmas Police Public Relations Division Brigadier General Awi Setiyono (Photo: Police Public Relations)

JAKARTA - The National Police stated that quarantine violators during the COVID-19 pandemic could be criminally processed. This refers to the Disease Outbreak and Health Quarantine Act.

Karo Penmas, Police Public Relations Division, Brigadier General Rusdi Hartono, stated that the criminal process was enshrined in Law No. 4 of 1984 concerning Outbreaks of Infectious Diseases. Where, the sanction for violators will be imprisoned for 1 year.

"In accordance with Law Number 4 of 1984 concerning infectious disease outbreaks, if residents are not disciplined in handling this infectious disease outbreak, they can be subject to sanctions in Article 14. In which they can be sentenced to 1 year in prison and or a maximum fine of Rp. million," said Rusdi in a discussion broadcast on the YouTube channel FMB9ID_IKP, Thursday, October 28.

Not only that, continued Rusdi, in the Quarantine Law there are more severe sanctions. In that regulation, the fine is greater, namely, Rp. 100 million

"We can also use Law No. 6 of 2018, which is about health quarantine. If people violate this health quarantine activity, they can be charged with Article 93. That can be subject to 1 year imprisonment and or a fine of Rp. 100 million," said Rusdi.

On this occasion, Rusdi mentioned the case of Rachel Vennya's escape from the quarantine area of the Pademangan Athlete's Wisma. Rachel Vennya escapes while undergoing quarantine after returning from overseas.

Rusdi said that the case of Rachel Vennya's escape from the quarantine area was being handled by Polda Metro Jaya. He said the case would be thoroughly investigated.

"There are Indonesian citizens returning from abroad who should have followed a 5-day quarantine before the 5-day period concerned has left the quarantine area. This is being processed at the Metro Police," said Rusdi.

Rachel Vennya is known to have run away while undergoing quarantine at the Wisma Atlet COVID-19 Emergency Hospital (RSDC) after a vacation from the United States.

At the beginning of this case, Kodam Jaya as part of the COVID-19 Task Force carried out an investigation. Where, it was found the involvement of two TNI personnel who helped Rachel Vennya.

The two TNI personnel had the initials FS and IG. They served in the Soekarno Hatta Airport Security Task Force, Tangerang, Banten, and the Pademangan Athlete's Wisma.

They allegedly arranged and helped Rachel Vennya escape quarantine after returning from overseas.

Currently, the status of the case has been raised to the stage of investigation. Because, based on the results of the case, the investigator considers that there is a criminal offense.