Russia ends participation in Council of Europe treaties
State Duma passes law on the termination of Russia’s participation in Council of Europe international treaties
The law formalises Russia’s decision, made on March 16 2022, to end their membership in the Council of Europe.
16.02.2023
The law makes provisions for Russia’s withdrawal from 21 international treaties — including the Statute of the Council of Europe of May 5, 1949, the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of November 4, 1950, the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism of January 27, 1977, the European Charter of Local Self-Government of October 15, 1985, and the European Social Charter of May 3, 1996.
Russia has been a member of the Council of Europe since February 28, 1996. On September 16, the country ceased to be a party to the European Convention on Human Rights, having fallen out of the ECHR’s jurisdiction. In June, the president signed a law that allows Russia to not execute any ECHR judgements passed after March 15, 2022.
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights is an international agreement between the member states of the Council of Europe, drawn up and signed in 1950, entering into force on September 3, 1953. The primary difference between the convention and other international human rights treaties is that it contains a legal mechanism for protecting declared rights via the European Court of Human Rights. All Council of Europe members are parties to the Convention.
Translated by Spencer Michaels