The Judiciary Police (PJ) urged the public in a statement on Monday not to fabricate and spread misinformation about COVID-19.
According to the statement, the local government is carrying out a raft of COVID-19 control and prevention measures in an orderly manner to do its utmost to ensure the safety and health of the general public in response to the latest novel coronavirus situation in Macau. The government strives to reduce the impact of the pandemic on all sectors of civil society, the statement said.
The statement urged the public to be particularly careful when uploading and forwarding any news or other pieces of information involving the pandemic. The statement reminded the public to be vigilant and to check carefully the authenticity of the content and whether the source of the news or information is reliable. Uploading or forwarding misinformation may disturb or confuse the general public, the statement pointed out, adding that spreading false information and news about the ongoing fight against COVID-19 may adversely the government’s anti-epidemic efforts.
The statement underlined that Macau is still in a state of immediate prevention in response to the current COVID-19 cluster, and the Judiciary Police “solemnly” urged the public not to fabricate and disseminate deliberately false information about the pandemic with the intent of arousing public fear or causing disturbances, in violation of Article 26 of Law No. 11/2020 (Civil Protection Legal Framework – 民防法律制度), adding that the offenders face legal action by the authorities.
