MOSCOW, April 2 (RAPSI) – Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a provision permitting officers of penitentiary establishments responsible for controlling convicts obliged to undergo drug treatment to access privileged medical information thereof, the Justice Ministry informs on its website on Thursday.

The law envisages that when exercising their respective duties such officers are to be vested with the right to obtain relevant privileged medical information on demand, without drug-addicted convicts’ or their legal representatives’ consent.

Earlier, the requests of penitentiary authorities for privileged medical information could be met only on condition citizens or their legal representatives consented to them with the exception of instances where such requests were made in connection with criminal sentence enforcement and control over those on probation, individuals given suspended or deferred sentences, or persons early released on parole.

Nevertheless, the consent on the part of sentenced persons or their legal representatives to be provided privileged medical information from health care providers is still required in cases where the sentences amount to fines, prohibition to hold certain posts or engage in certain activities, correctional labor, or restriction of freedom.