Russian Foreign Ministry: Russia withdrawing from CoE, but this won't affect Russians' rights and freedoms

MOSCOW. March 15 (Interfax) - Russia will not remain in the Council of Europe (CoE) but will continue to comply with judgements earlier issued by the European Court of Human Rights if they do not contradict the Russian Constitution, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"Under such conditions, our country will not remain in the Council of Europe. On March 15 of this year, Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric was handed a notification of the Russian Federation's withdrawal from the Organization," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.

"Our country's withdrawal from this organization will not affect Russian citizens' rights and freedoms," it said.

"Their guarantees set forth in the Constitution of the Russian Federation are no less than those under the European Convention on Human Rights. The provisions of the main binding treaties of the Council of Europe are included in the Russian legislation. Compliance with the earlier issued judgements of the European Court of Human Rights will continue unless they are inconsistent with the Constitution of the Russian Federation," the Foreign Ministry's statement said.

"The uniting potential of the Council of Europe has been ruined by NATO and European Union member countries," it said. "The institutions of the Council of Europe, including the ECHR, are now being systematically used to put pressure on Russia, to interfere in its internal affairs. The organization has sunk into double standards," the document said.

"Leaving the Council of Europe, Russia remains open to pragmatic and equal interaction with Organization member countries on the matters of mutual interest and within the framework of conventions in which we'll decide to continue to participate," it said.