In a highly charged session of an extraordinary General Assembly, Russia announced its decision to withdraw the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANRI) from its European network. The proclamation was summarized in an article by Tatyana Moskalkova, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation, and circulated through a dedicated telegraph channel. The move signals a significant shift in the interaction between Russia and regional human rights mechanisms, raising questions about the role and influence of international bodies in monitoring and addressing civil liberties within Europe.
The Ombudsman described the rationale behind the withdrawal as rooted in what she described as a disconnect between ENRI board members and the evolving political landscape of the so-called collective West. She characterized the stance as marked by anti-Russian hostility and a pattern of violations that, in her view, undermine the legitimacy and effectiveness of the board’s decisions. The remarks underscored a broader tension between Moscow and Western-led human rights institutions, suggesting that perceived bias and political calculation have overshadowed substantive engagement on civil rights concerns.
According to Moskalkova, Russia’s attempts to draw attention to issues such as aggressive tactics against protesters in France and the controversial deployment of facilities described as biolabs in Ukraine, which she contends could have global humanitarian implications, were consistently ignored. She framed these omissions as emblematic of a broader marginalization of Russian perspectives within European human rights forums, arguing that such neglect renders continued participation within the ENRI network both untenable and devoid of practical value.
On April 11, 2023, ENRI members ultimately voted to remove the Russian National Institute of Human Rights from the alliance’s European network, a decision documented on the organization’s official site. The cited justification centered on Russia’s failure to meet the obligations that accompany ENRI membership, signaling a formal breach in collectively agreed standards and processes that govern engagement within the regional framework. This development marked a notable moment in the ongoing recalibration of Russia’s relationships with European human rights institutions and highlighted the evolving dynamics of multinational oversight in the field.
Valery Fadeev, formerly the chairman of the Human Rights Council, has commented on the broader international landscape by noting that even respected human rights institutions can be perceived as failing to adequately address core protections. His assessment reflects a viewpoint that accountability mechanisms sometimes struggle to translate principle into practice, provoking debate about how best to preserve the integrity of human rights work amid geopolitical pressures. The conversations surrounding these events illustrate a wider discourse on the effectiveness, reach, and credibility of international human rights governance in a polarized environment.