MOSCOW, July 6 (RAPSI) – The government of Russia has approved a bill concerning the release of seriously ill convicts.

According to the statement of the Cabinet of Ministers, the document will be soon submitted to the State Duma.

Currently, the Justice Ministry and the Federal Penitentiary Service do not have powers to determine the procedure of grave ill prisoners’ health examination.

The bill would authorize the government to enact a regulation determining a procedure of medical examination for inmates applying for release because of serious illness.

Under the draft law, if convicts are unable to file a motion for release with court themselves, chiefs of prisons or penitentiary bodies would have a right to lodge an appropriate petition.

The initiative has been drafted based on the results of the law enforcement monitoring of prisoners’ health care maintaining.