Kirkuk, 59 people, will be tried, and thousand have been fined for breaching the curfew aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus, according to the Police Department.
Local administration in Kirkuk, like other provinces, has extended the lockdown until April 11.
Brigadier Omar Mutashar, an assistant to the general police department, said, “based on the Iraqi laws, those people who do not comply with the instructions will be charged with harming people and society.”
Mutashar claimed that more than 500 drivers had been fined, and 59 drivers have been arrested, and due to the breaches, their cases have been sent to the court.
Earlier, in a day, 30 people were arrested for their disobedience to the lockdown in Daquq district, Kirkuk
Kirkuk, a driver, is going through a checkpoint, March 2020. Photo: Soran Mohammed
According to Kirkuk traffic police’s order, any driver who does not comply with curfew will be fined 100 thousand IQD, the total fine they charged is more 124 million and 300 thousand IQD, besides confiscating cars and motorcycle as well as driver licenses and vehicle registration documents.
Mutashar stated they daily arrest several people in the different neighborhoods but later release them on bail.
Brigadier Ali said, “the committees and the crisis cell are carefully observing the Bazaars to punish those who are rising prices of goods.
People can buy their daily necessities from the malls and the Bazaars as they are allowed to open from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. according to the crisis cell’s orders.
Kirkuk, Rahimawa neighborhood’s Bazaars, March 2020. Photo: Karwan Salehi
The health workers, security forces, journalists, and other employees working at service companies are exempted from the curfew.
Dler Shwani, a member of the Kirkuk crisis cell, said, “except for those people, anyone who does not comply with the order will be punished. The shops, the malls, and the stores are allowed to be opened to provide goods for people until the afternoon. The decisions are clear to everyone. We will deal with anyone who breaches the orders based on the law.”
In Kirkuk, 12 people have been infected with the virus. Six of them recovered, and one died. 703 cases have been confirmed as of now nationwide in Iraq.
