Russia withdraws from European anti-torture treaty
The move ends the mandate of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture to inspect Russian detention facilities.
Russia formally withdrew from the Council of Europe’s Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on November 1, according to the Times of India.
The withdrawal concludes the authority of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) to conduct independent inspections of Russian police stations, prisons, and other sites where people are held.
CPT president Alan Mitchell said the exit marks the end of the committee's monitoring mandate and any independent oversight of places of deprivation of liberty within the country.
The committee stated it had received many reports of alleged ill-treatment and torture by Russian officials since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. These allegations involved facilities inside Russia and in occupied Ukrainian territories.
The CPT noted it could not visit Russia to check these claims due to a lack of cooperation from Russian authorities. This differed from Ukraine, which allows the committee access to detention sites and supports the automatic release of reports.
Between 1998 and 2021, the CPT conducted 30 visits to Russia and inspected over 450 locations. However, Russia was the only member to have a policy of refusing to allow the publication of most inspection reports and government replies.
