MOSCOW, November 21 (RAPSI) – Russia’s government has drafted a bill introducing life sentence for infringement on life of medical personnel.

The document has been posted on the federal website of planned legislation.

Under the bill, endangering the life of a health worker connected with discharge of his or her professional duties on rendering medical aid would result in prison terms varying from 12 to 20 years plus further supervised release for up to 2 years or life imprisonment.

Punishment for the use of not life threatening force or threat of violence against doctors would range from fines of up to 200,000 rubles ($3,000) or a convict’s income over the period of up to 18 months to prison sentence of up to 5 years.

Use of violence dangerous to health would be punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 years.

Amendments are proposed to the Criminal Code of Russia.

If adopted, the bill is expected to become effective on July 1, 2018.

Crimes against healthcare professionals who were on active duty at the time were on the rise recently. Russia’s Interior Ministry is investigating criminal cases launched over intended infliction of light, medium and grave harm to health, battery, threat of murder, robbery.

This August a radiography specialist was beaten in his cabinet in Orekhovo-Zuyevo town of Moscow Region for refusal to see a patient who jumped the queue. Initially investigators have launched a case over intended infliction of medium harm to health, but the case was later reclassified as threat of murder.