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Russia formally leaves Council of Europe's anti-torture convention
The Kyiv Independent • • world
Key Points:
- Moscow officially withdrew from the Council of Europe's European Convention for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) on November 1, 2025, ending the CPT's monitoring mandate in Russia.
- The denunciation was notified on October 30, 2025, and took effect one year later, halting independent monitoring of detention facilities in Russia.
- Despite remaining a signatory until October, Russia has been accused of committing war crimes, including torture of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers in occupied territories.
- U.N. human rights monitors reported that 96% of freed Ukrainian POWs interviewed experienced torture or abuse in Russian captivity.
- Russia left the Council of Europe in 2022 following its expulsion due to the invasion of Ukraine, while Ukraine and 45 other member states remain signatories to the CPT.
