In connection with the submission to the State Duma of the draft federal law making amendments to the Russian Federation Criminal Procedural Code and the Federal Law On Detention in Custody of People Suspected or Convicted of Criminal Offences, Dmitry Medvedev instructed the Prime Minister to implement a government resolution setting out the provisions on medical examination of people suspected or convicted of criminal offences and listing the serious illnesses that would make it impossible to keep such people in custody.
Mr Medvedev said that special care should be paid in drafting the resolution to the need to exclude the possibility of people being held in custody when this is not compatible with their medical treatment needs, and noted the need for medical examination to be carried out by independent doctors.
The resolution must be published no later than the State Duma approves the draft federal law in its second reading. The Government approved the resolution on January 14, 2011.
Mr Medvedev sent to the State Duma a draft law that softens custody measures on medical grounds for people suspected or convicted of criminal offences, and amends the Criminal Procedural Code in order to guarantee the constitutional right to protection of life and health of persons suspected or convicted of criminal offences.