Vladimir Putin on Monday signed legislation withdrawing Russia from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, marking another step in Moscow’s systematic exit from Western institutions since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The move eliminates international oversight of Russia’s prisons and detention facilities at a time when Moscow faces widespread accusations of torturing Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians. The European Convention for the Prevention of Torture allowed international monitors to visit locked-down facilities such as jails, prisons, and psychiatric hospitals, and provide states with recommendations on improving conditions. The committee visited Russia 30 times over nearly three decades and produced 27 reports, although only four were published, as disclosure required approval from the Russian government.
Officials justified Russia’s withdrawal as a response to the Council of Europe blocking the election of Russian members to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture. Senator Andrey Klishas stressed that Russia “remains a participant in all other international conventions that are specifically aimed at preventing the use of torture, inhuman treatment, and treatment degrading human dignity.”
On its Telegram channel, the Committee Against Torture said the exit from the European anti-torture convention means Russia “is no longer obligated to provide international inspectors with access to detention centers.” The activists warned that this will lead to worsening prison conditions and “the complete loss of benchmarks for developing the penitentiary system according to international norms.”