By signing the law on Russia's withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, the Kremlin has deprived the world of international control mechanisms over Russian prisons and occupied territories. This was stated by Dmytro Lubinets, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, as reported by UNN.
This decision is not just a formality in the legal sphere, but a demonstrative step that removes the last "masks" and confirms: torture is an element of the Kremlin's state policy. Denunciation means that the Kremlin deliberately avoids international control and deprives the world of leverage to respond to facts of torture in Russian prisons and in temporarily occupied territories, where Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians are held.
The Ombudsman noted that this is "a frank political signal that Moscow does not recognize European standards and is no longer committed to adhering to rules that protect human dignity."
In wartime conditions, such a refusal of control mechanisms inevitably increases the risks of massive and systemic human rights violations.
The Commissioner stated that in response, the world must use existing tools, including activating the work of UN mechanisms, as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross, as Russia remains a party to the UN Convention against Torture.
It is important to continue documenting torture crimes and submitting evidence to the International Criminal Court, strengthening personal sanctions against the organizers and perpetrators of torture, supporting victims, as well as human rights defenders who are fighting this battle.
Addition
The European Convention for the Prevention of Torture not only prohibits cruel and inhuman treatment but also provides for control mechanisms. For this purpose, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture operates under the Council of Europe, which has the right to monitor places of detention. Despite the fact that Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe in March 2022, it formally remained a party to the convention, which provided legal grounds for international pressure. Now this opportunity has also been lost.
Earlier, UNN wrote that OSCE experts in their report found widespread and systematic use of torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russia, which led to the death of at least 169 people.