Counsellor Yussuf Al Ebri, Under-Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, stressed the importance of the decisions and actions taken by the Abu Dhabi Government at various levels to maintain the health and safety of society and to ensure its needs, especially in the current circumstances, which require necessary measures against any actions that may harm or endanger individuals.
ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 03rd Apr, 2020) - Counsellor Yussuf Al Ebri, Under-Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, stressed the importance of the decisions and actions taken by the Abu Dhabi Government at various levels to maintain the health and safety of society and to ensure its needs, especially in the current circumstances, which require necessary measures against any actions that may harm or endanger individuals.
The decision to increase the penalty on violations of prices and monopolization of goods and products were integrated with different sectors to tackle the consequences of the spread of coronavirus, he said and added that it was done to prevent attempts to exploit the needs of consumers for food and medical material.
He stated that the decision of the Department of Economic Development under the directives of the Executive Council, to crack down on unjustified price increases and the monopolistic practices of goods and products were integrated with the efforts in various sectors to handle the crisis arising out of the spread of the new coronavirus.
Al Ebri referred to the legal action taken against violators in addition to fines and penalties, by referring their cases to the competent prosecution, and added that the courts would impose the most severe penalties for crimes that affected the security of society and its members.
Article (348) of the Penal Code stipulates that "Whoever deliberately commits an act that endangers the lives, health, security, or liberties of the people shall be punished with imprisonment and a fine, or one of these two penalties. The penalty shall be imprisonment if the act results in any harm, without prejudice to any more severe punishment determined by law."
Refraining from selling necessary goods for the livelihood of individuals, in times of an emergency or a crisis as in the present circumstances can put people's lives at risk, particularly with regard to face masks, gloves and other medical tools needed to prevent this disease, he said.
Article 14 of the Federal law No. 24 of 2006 on Consumer Protection stipulates, "It is not permissible for any supplier to hide any commodity or refrain from selling it with the intention of controlling the market price or to impose the purchase of certain quantities from it or the purchase of other goods, with it or to charge a price higher than the price announced."
