Withdrawal from the Council of Europe and Protecting Human Rights in the Russian Federation: One Year On

The ongoing tectonic shifts in international law have impacted a range of areas, and the protection of human rights has been no exception. The ending of Russia’s membership of the Council of Europe from 16 March 2022 was a significant event. In recent years, the Council of Europe has transformed into a tool for promoting the Euro-Atlantic agenda. Following Russia’s departure, it became a conveyor belt of selective justice and open legal aggression against the country. Other international structures, including the International Court of Justice, the UN Human Rights Council, and treaty bodies of the UN system, have also fallen under the harmful influence of destructive politicization by a coordinated group of states. How have the aforementioned changes impacted the protection of human rights in Russia? In the current environment, what role has been assigned to the national system for the protection of human rights? What outcomes have 26 years of cooperation between Russia and the Council of Europe produced, and on what basis does the organization operate now? How far do the international legal obligations in the field of human rights assumed by the Russian Federation extend today?