Russian authorities are set to withdraw from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, according to a decree signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
The convention, adopted in 1987 and ratified by Russia in 1998, not only prohibits torture but also requires states to take preventive measures. It established the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), an independent body authorized to inspect prisons, pre-trial detention centers, psychiatric institutions, and other places of detention. The committee’s visits aim to identify violations and recommend improvements to detention conditions. Member states are required to cooperate fully and provide unrestricted access. After each inspection, the CPT submits a report to the country, requesting a response to its findings.
Russia’s cooperation with the CPT has been minimal since its expulsion from the Council of Europe on March 16, 2022, following its invasion of Ukraine. The CPT has reported that Russian authorities have ignored requests for access and information, including concerning the death of opposition politician Alexei Navalny in the “Polar Wolf” special-regime colony in February 2024.
This withdrawal follows Russia’s earlier exit from the European Convention on Human Rights. Citizens can now appeal only to UN committees, which do not guarantee specific compensation. Decisions from the European Court of Human Rights issued after March 15, 2022, are no longer enforced in Russia.
Since February 2023, Russia has ceased to recognize the Statute of the Council of Europe, the European Social Charter, and 18 other key documents. In August 2024, the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities was also annulled in Russia
