By John Q. Hosedrinker 
In a move further distancing Russia from Western institutions, President Putin signed a law withdrawing the country from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture. The Kremlin’s decision, which follows Russia’s expulsion from the Council of Europe, cites alleged “discrimination” by the organization. While the Russian foreign ministry claims this withdrawal won’t negatively impact citizens, UN special rapporteurs have expressed concern, viewing the move as a red flag regarding human rights in Russian detention facilities. This action comes amid international condemnation of Russia’s human rights record, particularly allegations of abuses against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees.
Read the original article here
Russia Withdraws From European Anti-Torture Convention, and honestly, did anyone really think they were fully on board with it in the first place? It’s almost a “well, duh” moment, isn’t it? You read the headline, and your initial reaction is probably a mix of, “Oh, okay,” followed by, “Well, yeah, that makes sense.” It’s hard to be surprised when a country with a history of, shall we say, questionable human rights practices decides to officially distance itself from a convention designed to prevent torture.
Russia Withdraws From European Anti-Torture Convention; the irony isn’t lost on anyone. Let’s be real, the news has often painted a picture of Russia seemingly disregarding basic standards of human decency. Then there’s the usual diplomatic dance: denial from a stony-faced representative at the UN, and, all too often, nothing changes. It seems the withdrawal is just a formal acknowledgement of a reality that’s been playing out for a while. It is as if they are saying, “We’re not even going to pretend anymore.”
Russia Withdraws From European Anti-Torture Convention. You have to wonder, did they just now realize they were actually still *in* it? Considering the consistent reports of rape, torture, abuse, and even extrajudicial killings attributed to the Russian military, it’s hard to see what difference this convention ever made to their actions, other than becoming a point of mockery. It is just de jure, not de facto. The official withdrawal is simply a formalization of something that was already happening, making the headline the most pointless you will read.
Russia Withdraws From European Anti-Torture Convention, and it’s almost as if they were taking notes on how to torture. If you’re a civilian detainee, you know you’re likely to face ill-treatment. It’s a situation where one might feel compelled to say, “To thine own self be true.” They were never really big on compliance, to begin with. This withdrawal is probably linked to the recent findings and documented evidence of the torture of Ukrainian captives throughout the ongoing war, and this might be the trigger that finally pushed them to make it official.
Russia Withdraws From European Anti-Torture Convention, and the move just seems like a dose of honesty from Russia, even if it’s a dark one. The fact that the explanatory notes accompanying the withdrawal accused the Council of Europe of “discrimination” is a perfect illustration of the situation. They’re essentially saying, “If we don’t have a seat at the table, we don’t play by the rules.” The whole situation begs the question, what’s the point of being a member of a convention you don’t abide by?
Russia Withdraws From European Anti-Torture Convention. Now you can’t help but wonder if they are trying to find new methods. It also makes you wonder whether they’ll be able to justify this move, and perhaps this is their way of making headlines. It also raises the question of whether anyone would be safe if they were a part of their club. The reality is they really didn’t like being part of the club in the first place, which would make sense to any outsider.
Russia Withdraws From European Anti-Torture Convention, and this action might just be about power, not principles. It is just like the statement “We are no longer pretending that we don’t torture everyone all the time.” It just appears that the original goal of the UN doesn’t make sense when looking at it now. Russia benefits from the fact that no one can do anything about their actions.
Russia Withdraws From European Anti-Torture Convention. The timing aligns perfectly with the current events, and it’s hard to imagine any other reason besides the ongoing war crimes in Ukraine. The move can be seen as a sign of defiance. It’s a clear message that they don’t care about the rules and will do what they want. As for their own citizens, it’s the same thing.