Russia: Statement by the spokesperson on the withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

On 29 September, Vladimir Putin signed the law on Russia's withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The formal decision is one more step in Russia's complete disengagement from its international commitments and clearly demonstrates Russia's disregard for the protection of human rights.

It has not allowed any monitoring visits to places of deprivation of liberty. The primary victims of the decision are and will be Russian citizens. According to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, "torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are used as state sanctioned tools for systemic oppression in the Russian Federation".

Such practices are also evident in Russia's illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, where widespread and systematic use of torture is well documented.

The EU calls for accountability for all international crimes and human rights violations and abuses stemming from the Russia's war of aggression. The Russian Federation is obliged to comply with international law.