Russia formally exits Europe's anti-torture convention, ending CPT monitoring
A year after notifying Strasbourg, Moscow's withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture took effect, ending independent inspections of its prisons.
What to know
- Russia's withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture took effect Nov. 1, 2026, one year after it notified the Council of Europe of its denunciation.
- CPT President Alan Mitchell says the move ends all independent monitoring of Russian detention sites, which the committee had already struggled to access since 2022 due to non-cooperation.
- Russia had been a CPT party since 1998 but allowed publication of only four of dozens of inspection reports and systematically blocked disclosure of findings.
- The withdrawal coincides with extensive documentation of torture against Ukrainian POWs and civilians, including Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets' record of 695 forms of abuse and U.N. findings that 96% of interviewed freed POWs reported torture.
“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.”
Council of Europe, CPT statement · Kyiv Independent ↗ · Nov 1
Alan Mitchell President of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT)
Dmytro Lubinets Ukraine's Human Rights OmbudsmanRussian government Withdrawing state partyCouncil of Europe / CPT Treaty body
How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments
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Reports detail Russia's record of blocking CPT findings and ongoing POW torture
Despite 30 CPT visits and inspections of 450+ detention sites since 1998, Russia allowed publication of only four reports; Ukraine's Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said Russian forces have subjected Ukrainian POWs to 695 documented forms of torture.
“The withdrawal of the Russian Federation marks the end of the CPT's monitoring mandate in the country.”
— Alan Mitchell, CPT President · source -
Russia has officially withdrawn from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The decision took effect on November 1. As the Council of Europe’s press service explained, the relevant committee can no longer conduct
2 more of the top 3 · 11 posts in this stretch
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russia has formally withdrawn from the European Anti-Torture Convention, ending all independent monitoring of its prisons and detention sites. The move strips external oversight as evidence grows of widespread torture against # Ukraine captives. https:// united24media.com/world/russia…
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Engagers in extraordinary rendition are complaining about someone leaving a convention against the thing they were doing while a member of it. Though, admittedly, I also despise the Polish sob-story narrative, when their greatest grievance was having their deserved destiny as a repressive imperial power stolen from them by foreign states taking…
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CPT president says independent monitoring of Russian prisons ends
Alan Mitchell stated the withdrawal also means the cessation of any independent monitoring of places of deprivation of liberty inside Russia, while the CPT continues work in the other 46 member states.
“It also means the cessation of any independent monitoring of places of detention on the territory of the Russian Federation.”
— Alan Mitchell, CPT President -
Does that even matter? They were doing whatever they wanted for years, has their memebership ever changed or meant anything other than a political tool, while people were still being tortured?
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background
Russia's withdrawal from the anti-torture convention takes effect — One year after notification, Russia's denunciation of the CPT convention became effective, ending its membership in the treaty it had belonged to since 1998.
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background
Russia notifies Council of Europe of its denunciation — Russian authorities formally informed the Council of Europe of their decision to withdraw from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, triggering a one-year notice period under Article 22.
Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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4 outlets Russia Withdraws From European Anti-Torture Convention, Ending Independent Monitoring of Its Prisons
first by Mastodon, 6d ago · also Kyiv Independent, Moscow Times EN, The Moscow Times
4 more headlines
- Russia, accused of mass torture, withdraws from convention against torture Українська правда · 6d ago
- Russia officially withdraws from the Council of Europe’s Anti-Torture Convention www.coe.int · 6d ago
- Russia formally leaves Council of Europe's anti-torture convention The Kyiv Independent · 6d ago
- Russia Officially Withdraws From Europe’s Anti-Torture Convention Moscow Times EN · 6d ago
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first by Times of India, 6d ago · also The Times of India
What people are saying 8 voices from 2 sites · best of 12 · verbatim
- Nov 2
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There are people who genuinely think the way you acted. I can't tell these apart for that reason unless it's actually funny. Yours is just an unhinged statement that could as well have been meant 100%. I have seen enough of this kind of shit.
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⚠️🇷🇺Republican backed Russian war criminals, accused of mass torture, withdraws from convention against torture (more) https://www. pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/11 /02/8060882/ # Ukraine # Press # Media # VOTE # VOTE2026 # America # USA # US # News # Brussels # CoE # PACE # France # UK # London # Germany # Democrats # Republicans # Headlines #…
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Did you seriously just try to justify videos of Russian servicemen castrating captured POWs by referencing Guantanamo bay? The Russian bots are out in force today.
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honestly the part that matters most to me isn't the withdrawal itself, it's what the CPT says it loses. per the CPT's own statement russia was the only state party with a policy of not allowing publication of visit reports, so only 4 reports ever got out of 30 visits since 1998, including 10 visits to chechnya and the north caucasus that nobody…
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That’s hardly relevant. Not all enemies deserve good treatment, see Guantánamo Bay.
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If Poland left the convention it would have gotten an article too, just like this wasn't written until Russia left despite it never having abided by it. Besides, European countries cave in on their values for the US all the time.
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In addition to dedovshchina, theres stuff like Bucha and all the castration videos coming out from the front.
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🇷🇺 # Russia officially withdrew from the Council of Europe's European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on Nov. 1. https://www. coe.int/en/web/cpt/-/russia-of ficially-withdraws-from-the-council-of-europe-s-anti-torture-convention