Russia Officially Withdraws From Europe’s Anti-Torture Convention

Nov. 2, 2026 The Matrosskaya Tishina detention center in Moscow. Kirill Zykov / Moskva News Agency Independent international monitoring of detention facilities in Russia has come to an end with the country’s formal withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, the Council of Europe said on Sunday. In a statement, the Council of Europe said inspectors from the convention had carried out 30 visits to more than 450 detention facilities in Russia during the 23 years it was a member. Russia, however, permitted the publication of only four visit reports over that period. “Russia may authorize the publication of [the remaining] reports at any time,” the statement read, noting that the unpublished reports relate to 10 visits to the republic of Chechnya and the remaining North Caucasus regions between 2000 and 2017. Per convention rules, Russia’s withdrawal took effect on Nov. 1, one year after Moscow formally notified the Council of Europe of its decision. Russia ratified the anti-torture treaty in 1998, two years after joining the Council of Europe. It was expelled from the Council of Europe in March 2022 following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Council of Europe said the convention received “numerous accounts of alleged acts of torture and ill-treatment” across detention centers and penal colonies in Russian-occupied Ukraine and within Russia itself. “However, due to the non-cooperation of the Russian authorities, the CPT has been unable to conduct a visit to the Russian Federation to examine the situation for itself,” it said. Russia also withdrew from the European Convention on Human Rights in 2022, ending its jurisdiction under the European Court of Human Rights. Rights groups have warned that exiting the treaty removes the last remaining international safeguard for inmates in Russia’s penal system. They have credited the convention for helping to ease overcrowding, improving conditions in penal colonies and securing better protection for some inmates. Russia remains a party to the UN Convention Against Torture, which it ratified in 1985. Read more about: Torture , Europe Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more EU Allies Expel Almost 200 Russian Diplomats in Two Days The Kremlin criticized the mass expulsions as "short-sighted." Putin Condemns European ‘Pressure’ on Gazprom, Warns of Reprisals The comments come after Germany said it was temporarily taking control of Gazprom's German subsidiary. Finland, Denmark to Close Airspace to Russian Planes "At today's meeting of EU ministers of foreign affairs we will push for an EU-wide ban," Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said. NATO Approves 4,000-Strong Baltic Rapid Deployment Force The large number of NATO members and the internal disagreements it causes have the potential to work against the alliance in its stand-off with Russia