The resolution establishing the Human Rights Council requires that Russia “fully cooperate” with the Council and “uphold the highest standards” of human rights. Russia meets neither of these criteria.

As a Council member, Russia has failed to cooperate with the Council’s independent experts. Most notably, almost three years after inviting the Special Rapporteur on torture to visit, the government has refused to set terms that permit an impartial and independent visit. Russia’s human rights record similarly falls short of the “highest standards.” Concerns include: restrictions and attacks on civil society, abuses in the North Caucus, racism, xenophobia, and abuse of migrant workers, and violations of the right to health in treatment of HIV and drug dependence.

• Restrictions on Russian civil society
• Attacks on journalists and human rights defenders
• Abuses in the North Caucus
• Racism and xenophobia
• Failure to protect the rights of migrant workers

Russia is required to “fully cooperate with the Council,” but has not met this obligation.

• As of March 2009 Russia had seven outstanding requests for visits from independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council, ranging from 1998 to 2009.
• During its campaign for election to the Council in 2006, Russia noted that it had invited the expert on torture to visit, citing that as an example of its “active cooperation” with the human rights experts. But the visit has not taken place.