Overview

• The law denounces the 1987 convention and Protocols No. 1 and No. 2, rendering them no longer valid in Russia and ending treaty-based inspection rights.
• Russian officials cite the Council of Europe's refusal since December 2023 to seat a Russian member on the CPT as the reason for withdrawal.
• The legislative sequence ran from Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin's proposal on August 25 to State Duma approval on September 17, culminating in President Vladimir Putin's signature on September 29.
• Moscow says national legislation will ensure prevention of torture and maintains it remains committed to broader human-rights obligations outside Council of Europe mechanisms.
• UN experts warned the move removes vital oversight, and Ukraine's ombudsman condemned it as enabling abuse, while the CPT had previously reported blocked access requests, including after Alexei Navalny's death in 2024.