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Russia Withdraws From European Anti-Torture Convention, Ending Independent Monitoring of Its Prisons
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Russia has formally withdrawn from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, ending independent international monitoring of detention facilities across the country, according to a statement issued by the Council of Europe on November 1.
Russian authorities officially notified the Council of Europe of their decision to denounce the convention on October 30, 2025. Under Article 22 of the agreement, a country's withdrawal takes effect one year after the notification, meaning Russia's departure became effective on October 30, 2026.
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Russia had been a party to the convention since 1998. During that period, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) conducted 30 visits to the country, inspecting more than 450 places of detention.
However, Russia was the only state party to the convention that systematically refused to authorize the publication of reports documenting the committee's findings.
Throughout its participation, Russian authorities permitted the publication of just four reports, while ten documents concerning Chechnya and the North Caucasus, covering the period from 2000 to 2017, remained confidential.
Concerns over conditions in Russian detention facilities intensified following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since the beginning of the invasion, the CPT has received numerous reports of torture and ill-treatment allegedly committed by Russian personnel, both in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories and within Russia itself.
However, the committee was unable to investigate these allegations on the ground because of Russia's lack of cooperation.
In contrast, Ukraine continues to cooperate fully with the CPT and facilitate its monitoring activities.
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Responding to Russia's withdrawal, CPT President Alan Mitchell warned that the decision would eliminate the committee's ability to oversee detention conditions in the country.
“The withdrawal of the Russian Federation means the end of the CPT's monitoring mandate in the country. It also means the cessation of any independent monitoring of places of detention on the territory of the Russian Federation,” Mitchell said.
Despite Russia's departure, the committee will continue its monitoring activities in the other 46 Council of Europe member states, focusing on preventing torture and ill-treatment and protecting the rights of people deprived of their liberty.
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The decision also comes amid extensive documentation of alleged torture and abuse of Ukrainian prisoners of war held in Russian captivity.
According to Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, Russian forces have subjected Ukrainian POWs to 695 different forms of torture, including physical and psychological abuse and sexual violence.
Lubinets said the documented practices include food deprivation, unsanitary detention conditions, and various forms of physical violence. Ukrainian authorities have also recorded 860 cases involving inadequate conditions of detention.
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