Russia Withdraws from European Anti-Torture Convention Escalating Human Rights Concerns

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law formally withdrawing Russia from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, effectively ending international oversight of human rights practices in Russian prisons and occupied territories. This move follows Russia's expulsion from the Council of Europe in 2022 but marks a further step in dismantling democratic institutions and renouncing human rights obligations amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Ukrainian officials, including Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, interpret this as a clear signal that Russia embraces systemic torture as state policy and rejects European standards protecting human dignity. Experts warn that the denunciation will reduce the reliability of external monitoring, increase risks of mass human rights violations, and complicate efforts to document abuses, particularly against political prisoners and Ukrainian detainees. The international community is urged to activate alternative mechanisms such as those of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to maintain some level of oversight since Russia remains a party to the UN Convention against Torture. This development highlights heightened concerns over the treatment of prisoners and the erosion of legal protections under Russian authority.