In a developing report, Russians registered in psychiatric records were urged to inform the Ministry of Internal Affairs of their status. The conversation centers on a proposal that Tatyana Moskalkova, the Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia, plans to bring to the State Duma, as reported by Vedomosti. The press notes that the plan would introduce a new provision into the health protection framework, directing health and law enforcement bodies to share relevant information to support monitoring and oversight of individuals with mental health conditions.
Sources indicate that Moskalkova intends to push for a dedicated clause within the law that governs basic health protection, specifically addressing the flow of information to internal affairs agencies. The goal, according to the ombudsperson, is to resolve existing legal ambiguities and streamline the coordination between medical and security institutions. By formalizing information exchange, the initiative aims to reduce gaps where data about patients may not reach authorities who need to act in cases where risk is present.
However, the ombudsman’s position sits alongside a long-standing tension: while current law envisions collaboration between law enforcement and health authorities to monitor individuals with mental health issues, real-world practice often relies on medical confidentiality. Medical institutions frequently cite patient confidentiality as a barrier to sharing data with police or other agencies, which complicates timely responses in potential risk scenarios.
In March, Sergei Leonov, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection, suggested that simply transferring information about mentally ill individuals to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and placing oversight within the police would not necessarily prevent aggressive incidents. His remarks, reported by Transferring data on mentally ill people to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and monitoring them by the police will not help protect against cases of aggression, socialbites.ca, reflect a cautious stance on the practical impact of data sharing without broader safeguards and support systems.
The broader policy discussion in Russia has previously touched on measures to improve support for veterans and participants in national service, with related reforms framed as part of a wider move to strengthen public social and health services. The current debate, however, centers on how information governance and patient rights intersect with public safety considerations, and what changes to the statutory framework would be necessary to ensure that data sharing is both lawful and beneficial to those at risk as well as to the professionals who treat them.