Justice: People from Several Countries Sued China for Coronavirus Damages

As the novel coronavirus pandemic spread out globally, more and more people around the world have filed lawsuits against China for concealing the coronavirus information and causing the worldwide pandemic that has claimed many lives and hurt the economy badly.

#1: United States:

On April 21, the Missouri state government sued the Chinese government, saying that China’s response to the outbreak that originated in the city of Wuhan brought devastating economic losses to the state. It also accused the Chinese government of making the pandemic worse by “hoarding” masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE). It said that Missouri and its residents suffered possibly tens of billions of dollars in economic damages and seeks cash compensation. (Reuters)

#2: Italy:

On April 21, the Oneurope non-profit organization launched a class action suit against China over COVID-19, claiming that China failed to react promptly according to obligations laid down by the World Health Organization (WHO). (Global Times)

#3: Italy:

The De La Poste hotel, a popular hotel in the Italian Alps, filed with a court in Belluno, which is in the same region, suing China’s Health Ministry for damages. The hotel sits in the town of Cortina d’Ampezzo, in the northern Italian region of Veneto, which was badly hit by the coronavirus. The hotel was heavily booked in March for the Ski World Cup Finals scheduled from March 18 to March 22, but then on March 12, the hotel was forced to close and stop all services when Italy went into lockdown. (The Mirror)

#4: India:

On April 14, Mumbai-based lawyer Ashish Sohani filed a petition in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Netherlands, suing Xi Jinping and four other officials for criminal negligence, willful suppression of information, and “treason against humanity.” It demands a total of $2.5 trillion compensation for the loss of lives and economic damage to the Indian government and the people of India. (Live Mint)

#5: Egypt:

Egyptian lawyer Mohamed Talaat filed a lawsuit via the Chinese embassy in Cairo, calling on China to pay $10 trillion due to the damages caused by the coronavirus in Egypt. Talaat based his claim on U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments that the virus originated in China and also media sources, which he did not name, that said China had produced the virus as a biological weapon. (Arab News)

#6: Israel:

On April 19, the Israeli Non-Government Organization (NG) Shurat HaDin announces that it plans to file a class action lawsuit against China in the coming days over its alleged negligence in treating and containing the coronavirus. The lawsuit was submitted in the US due to the fact that “most other countries are afraid of the implications of China’s economic might.” (Jerusalem Post)

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