Cyprus court issues first penalties for decree violations

The first two penalties were issued by a Cyprus court on Friday to violators of the decree restricting movement to the bare minimum.

In a swift implementation of the Cabinet decision on Thursday to authorize members of police to choose to refer violators to courts rather than impose an on-the-spot €150 fine, with are allowed to impose a prison sentence and/or a fine of up to €3,000, the Famagusta District court imposed fines on two violators of the partial lockdown decree.

Specifically, the court in Paralimni imposed a €400 fine on two persons, described as foreign nationals aged 29 and 42, who were found to be in violation of the new measures.

The two were spotted by members of police in the area of the Asprokremmos Dam, though when confronted they could not state a legitimate reason for being there.

261 violations of movement restriction decree in 12 hours

According to the police spokesperson on Friday, since Thursday police had filed reports against 261 violators, involving drivers and pedestrians, of the partial curfew measures in place as the government recently stepped up measures in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus.

In total, between 6pm on Thursday and 6am on Friday, police had conducted 8,435 checks islandwide on people moving outdoors.

Nicosia topped the number of violations as from a total of 2,137 checks, 97 were reported, while from the 1,946 checks conducted in Limassol, 60 were reported.

In Larnaca, police conducted 1,124 checks, reporting 17 persons, while in Paphos police conducted 1,316 checks, reporting 33. In Famagusta 49 were found to be in violation of the decrees in place, while 1,119 checks were conducted.