Russia deports Chinese for violating self-quarantine rules

[Bill]

MOSCOW (AP) — Authorities in Moscow are detaining and deporting Chinese nationals for violating quarantine procedures the city government mandated in response to the coronavirus, according to court filings and a lawyer working on at least 15 cases.

Since the beginning of the year, as many as 79 Chinese people have been taken into custody and fined for leaving their place of residence during the 14-day self-quarantine period they were ordered to observe after returning from China, defense lawyer Sergei Malik told The Associated Press.

The majority have been deported from Russia, while 27 remain at Moscow's migrant detention facility awaiting deportation or rulings on appeals arguing the detentions were arbitrary, Malik said. About half of the Chinese nationals detained were university students, he said.

“Someone decided to target Chinese citizens,” Malik said. “Our brave police were acting on someone's orders. No one was detaining Italians or Iranians. Just the Chinese."

Some of the detained people from China said in court documents reviewed by the AP that they did not receive thorough explanations or know the Russian language well enough to understand the rules they had to follow while in self-quarantine.

Among the reasons given for coming out of home confinement was needing to buy groceries, obtain immigration documents or to pay for studies.

As part of the Russian capital's strategy to prevent the new virus from spreading, Moscow officials in late February said everyone arriving from China had to observe a mandatory two-week quarantine. The city government also sent police to track down Chinese people by raiding hotels, dormitories, apartment buildings and businesses.

The AP reviewed more than 20 verdicts handed out by Moscow courts in cases involving Chinese nationals detained for evading self-quarantines in the past month. The judgments were available on the city's court system website.

In half of the cases, the addresses of where police detained the suspects matched the addresses of where the Chinese nationals were supposed to be quarantined but didn't include apartment numbers. The defendants in several cases claimed they had been falsely accused of leaving their apartments or were lured out by police officers.

Moscow police did not respond to a request for comment.

Information on the website of Moscow City Hall states that failing or refusing to observe self-quarantine is subject to criminal prosecution if the violation leads to mass infections and deaths. The website doesn't mention potential penalties in situations when no such consequences result from someone breaking home quarantine requirements.

The alleged lack of clear guidance and regulations raises concerns among some Russian human rights activists.

“What is happening now is just so obscure,” said Svetlana Gannushkina, head of the migrant and refugee rights group Civic Initiative. “We can't get clear answers about what decisions are being made and what we should do....Instead, there are just hectic moves.”

The penalty for not following sanitary and epidemiological regulations in Russia usually constitutes a fine of less than $10 and certainly not deportation, lawyer Malik said.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that foreigners who “violate quarantine orders” indeed may be deported in accordance with existing Russian regulations.

The ministry monitors the situation “with Chinese citizens and citizens of other countries” and works closely with respective embassies, Zakharova said.

The Chinese Embassy in Russia did not respond to repeated requests for comments. Last week, the embassy's spokesperson confirmed to the Kommersant newspaper that courts in Moscow were ordering Chinese citizens deported for “violating self-isolation rules (set by) the Russian side."

[Cypress]

Much obliged for the thread. The best thing I got out of this article was an interest to find out who Svetlana Gannushkina is. That is a profile in courage and perseverance

While American conservatives cannot drop fast enough to their knees to kiss Vladimir Putin's shoes, this lady is a reminder that there are actual Russians willing to risk prison to defy and stand against Putin's oligarchy

[Bill]

What do you make of the report??

[Minister of Truth]

Han go home!

[Cypress]

What do you make of the report??

without knowing the full range of details, it sounds like a potent mix of legitimate public health concerns with more than a little xenophobia

[Jack]

Authoritarian governments kill people for less. They were lucky to be sent home alive ... rather than in a Box.
Tip of the Day: Russia is NOT a Western-style Democracy.

[Bill]

Han go home!

lol.......

I actually have a hiking buddy & that is his name, Han..... Parents are from Taiwan & he is about half Taiwanese.. He complains & has to explain (he is a complainer), no, he aint named after Han Solo, no it aint Nordic, Finnish or Norwegian.......... Goes to show just how dumb or ignorant most ppl are, I guess,

[Bill]

without knowing the full range of details, it sounds like a potent mix of legitimate public health concerns with more than a little xenophobia

Didn't really see much more about it but I get the feeling is more of the latter...

[Minister of Truth]

lol.......

I actually have a hiking buddy & that is his name, Han..... Parents are from Taiwan & he is about half Taiwanese.. He complains & has to explain (he is a complainer), no, he aint named after Han Solo, no it aint Nordic, Finnish or Norwegian.......... Goes to show just how dumb or ignorant most ppl are, I guess,

That being said, if I had a friend named Han, he'd be hearing all sorts of Han Solo quotes from me.

[Bill]

But can you see his point?? Most Americans don't even know what Han means.....

First person I really talked w/ for a few hours on a car ride up to Chico, ca for a hike, that actually was knowledgeable about China & the BRI..

[Cypress]

Didn't really see much more about it but I get the feeling is more of the latter...

The reason the Russian human rights activist in your article stood out for me, is because she had a very measured and logical approach to this. As a government watchdog she wants questions answered and transparency assured. She studiously avoided making declarative assumptions , she did not leap to conclusions. A solid and measured approach which enhances her credibility.

A government certainly has a right to deport foreign visitors who violate a quarantine. The question is whether this is being done fairly and equitably.

"What is happening now is just so obscure,” said Svetlana Gannushkina, head of the migrant and refugee rights group Civic Initiative. “We can't get clear answers about what decisions are being made and what we should do....Instead, there are just hectic moves.”

[Bill]

The reason the Russian human rights activist in your article stood out for me, is because she had a very measured and logical approach to this. As a government watchdog she wants questions answered and transparency assured. She studiously avoided making declarative assumptions , she did not leap to conclusions. A solid and measured approach which enhances her credibility.

A government certainly has a right to deport foreign visitors who violate a quarantine. The question is whether this is being done fairly and equitably.

Hopefully that will be enough to insure her safety..