President Vladimir Putin approved on Monday (29) a law that formalizes the departure of Russia from the European Convention for the prevention of torture. The Convention, linked to the Council of Europe, authorized independent missions of inspection in prisons and detention centers of member countries.
Although Moscow was expelled from the board in March 2022, after the Ukraine invasion, it was technically linked to the treaty.
The Russian government justifies the withdrawal alleging “discrimination”, since the entity did not accept the participation of representatives appointed by Moscow. The text was previously approved by Parliament and sanctioned by Putin on Monday.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs tried to minimize the impact, stating that the decision does not change Russia’s international commitments to human rights.
The departure of the agreement, however, provoked immediate reaction of international organizations. Two UN special rapporteurs warned that the measure “raises serious warning signs about what happens behind bars” in the Russian prison system.
The decision occurs amid a climb of allegations of abuses committed during the war. Last week, the organization for safety and cooperation in Europe (OSCE) accused Moscow of “systematic” practices against Ukrainian prisoners, including arbitrary executions.
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Recent report by the UN Human Rights Office also described a standard of ranges against civilians detained by Russian forces.
