Fine of up to 15 million VND for acts of providing inaccurate information on COVID-19 upon declaration of epidemic in Vietnam

Fine of up to 15 million VND for acts of providing inaccurate information on COVID-19 upon declaration of epidemic in Vietnam​(Illustration)

Article 5 of Decree 117/2020/ND-CP stipulates the fines for violations against regulations on dissemination of information and education in prevention and control of infectious diseases in Vietnam as follows:

1. The following fines shall be imposed for failing to organize dissemination of information and education about prevention and control of infectious diseases for employees at the request of competent authorities:

- A fine ranging from 1.000.000 to VND 3.000.000 shall be imposed upon a violating establishment using less than 100 employees;

- A fine ranging from 3.000.000 to VND 5.000.000 shall be imposed upon a violating establishment using from 100 to under 300 employees;

- A fine ranging from 5.000.000 to VND 7.000.000 shall be imposed upon a violating establishment using from 300 to under 500 employees;

- A fine ranging from 7.000.000 to VND 10.000.000 shall be imposed upon a violating establishment using from 500 to under 1.000 employees;

- A fine ranging from 10.000.000 to VND 15.000.000 shall be imposed upon a violating establishment using from 1.000 to under 1.500 employees;

- A fine ranging from 15.000.000 to VND 20.000.000 shall be imposed upon a violating establishment using from 1.500 to under 2.500 employees;

- A fine ranging from 20.000.000 to VND 25.000.000 shall be imposed upon a violating establishment using 2.500 employees or more.

2. A fine ranging from VND 3.000.000 to VND 5.000.000 shall be imposed for failing to implement or improperly implementing regulations on broadcasting time or volume or capacity or location for publishing information on prevention and control of infectious diseases.

3. A fine ranging from VND 10.000.000 to VND 15.000.000 shall be imposed for commission of one of the following violations:

- Failing to provide accurate and timely information on an epidemic upon declaration of epidemic or declaration of end of epidemic according to contents provided by competent health agencies;

- Charging for the provision of information and education about prevention and control of infectious diseases on means of mass media, unless payments are made under signed contracts for implementation of programs/projects or such activities are sponsored by domestic and/or foreign entities.

4. Remedial measures:

- The entity committing the violation in Point a Clause 3 of this Article is compelled to correct false information via means of mass media at the place where the false information has been published within at least 03 consecutive days as prescribed by law;

- The entity committing the violation in Point b Clause 3 of this Article is compelled to return any amounts of money collected against regulations of law. The amounts of money which cannot be returned to payers shall be paid to state budget in accordance with regulations of law.

More details can be found in Decree 117/2020/ND-CP, which comes into effect in Vietnam from November 15, 2020.

Thuy Tram

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