A teenager was sentenced to six months in prison for organising a New Year’s Day party in the city of Thessaloniki in violation of Greece’s Wuhan coronavirus lockdown measures.
The 19-year-old was convicted at a Thessaloniki court this week which found him guilty of violating the lockdown measures when he invited nine friends to a party at an apartment owned by his grandmother on New Year’s Day.
The party was discovered when police were called to the apartment, located in the centre of the city, following a complaint in the early hours of January 2nd, Greek newspaper Proto Thema reports.
During his court appearance, the 19-year-old claimed that he had not seen his friends for four months but added that it was not his intention to have so many people in the apartment and that others showed up as the party was going on.
In addition to the six-month prison sentence, with an additional three years suspended sentence, the 19-year-old was fined €3,000 and the various party guests were fined €300.
Following the New Year, the Greek government announced it would be introducing even more restrictive lockdown measures in an effort to stop the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus.
Part of the restrictions would include keeping churches closed for the celebration of Epiphany on January 6th but in a surprise move, the Greek Orthodox church’s Holy Synod stated it would be rejecting the restrictions this week.
The church stated that it “does not consent to the government’s measures” and noted that churches had all obeyed sanitary protocols over the Christmas period and would be sending a letter of protest tot he Greek government.
Greece is not the only country to seer major fines and even prison time for violating Wuhan coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
In Italy, residents can face as many as six years in prison if they lie to officials and break the lockdown measures.
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