About 100 Chinese nationals, mainly students, are facing deportation to their homeland for breaking the 14-day quarantine regime, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reports.
At the moment, they are being held in a centre for foreigners in Moscow.
Several students were tried and fined for violating the country’s regulations on entry and stay. In addition, the court ruled to deportation. However, they want to appeal against the decision as it may result in imposing a ban from entering Russia in the future. According to one of the persons on trial, he did not observe the quarantine, out of ignorance. If his words are anything to go by, he was not aware of his being under the obligation not to leave his place within 14 days because his friend inaccurately translated a medical certificate.
The Chinese embassy in Moscow is providing assistance to would-be deportees. In a letter to the Moscow authorities, its representatives expressed concern over their actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Conducting checks on Chinese citizens in Moscow’s public places and transport is discriminatory, the diplomats stressed. They warned that such measured might spoil ‘friendly atmosphere’ in Russian-Chinese relations.
