China should go easy on zero-Covid violators now that rules have eased, former top court judge says

Those in the dock for hiding their travel history or not taking part in mass tests should be exonerated, according to ex-judge Huang Yingsheng

Rulings that are yet to take effect should be rolled back and sentences reversed, the former criminal cases judge at the Supreme People’s Court says

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Morning rush hour outside an underground station in Wuhan, in
China’s central Hubei province, following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions nationwide. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:05pm, 20 Dec 2022Updated: 7:05pm, 20 Dec 2022

Those who might have violated China’s Covid-19 restrictions earlier should be let off now that zero-Covid rules have been eased, a former top court judge has said.

Huang Yingsheng, one-time criminal cases judge at the Supreme People’s Court, said even though the pandemic was nearing its end, many amends related to its handling remained to be made – especially in the legal field.

Those charged or punished for not taking part in mass coronavirus testing or for hiding their travel histories should be exonerated, Huang wrote on social media platform WeChat earlier this month.

In an interview with the Economic Observer on Sunday, he also said court punishment for spreading the Omicron variant should be reversed.

Serpentine queues for government-mandated mass Covid-19 tests are now a thing of the past in China. Photo: AFP

Even a few months ago, people could face heavy penalties for failing to undergo nucleic acid tests or quarantine, failing to show the correct health code or wear masks, visiting friends or going to parties against local restrictions, as China stayed true to its strict zero-Covid policy.