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Russian diplomats say Council of Europe forced Russia to pull out of corruption convention

The statement said Russia could denounce some other agreements

PARIS, January 9. /TASS/. The team for Council of Europe affairs at the Russian embassy in France on Monday said Russia is pulling out of the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption due to moves by the Council of Europe.

"Russia <...> has to leave the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption due to illegitimate actions by the Council of Europe," the team said on Twitter.

It said Russia will terminate its participation in Council of Europe bodies in the event if the authority of Russian representative is limited.

The statement also said Russia could denounce some other agreements.

The Group of States against Corruption told TASS that Russia’s membership in the organization was limited on March 23, 2022. Russia’s right to take part in debates was suspended, and its voting rights were revoked.

President Vladimir Putin on Monday submitted to the State Duma a bill on the denunciation of the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption. The convention was signed in January 1999. According to explanatory notes to the bill, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers earlier decided to terminate Russia’s full membership of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO).