Australia threatens jail time for anyone arriving from India

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Australia has threatened to jail anyone entering the country from India -- including its own citizens.

Anyone who has been in India over the past 14 days will be shut out of Australia as of Monday, according to a Health Ministry statement released Saturday.

If they enter, they face a possible penalty of up to five years in prison under Australia’s Bio Security Act.

“The risk assessment that informed the decision was based on the proportion of overseas travellers in quarantine in Australia who have acquired a Covid-19 infection in India,” the statement reads.

There are about 9,000 Australian citizens in India registered as wanting to return to Australia, according to the federal government.

Only Australian citizens, permanent residents and those travelling from New Zealand can enter Australia, with few exceptions.

All arrivals into the country must spend 14 days in state-managed quarantine.

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