Russia has been expelled from the Council of Europe after 26 years

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has decided to expel Russia from its membership on March 16. This was announced on the website of the organization.

"A special meeting of the CoE Committee of Ministers decided to expel Russia from the organization in accordance with Article 8 of the CoE Charter", the statement said.

On March 15, the CoE Parliamentary Assembly voted to expel Russia from the organization. The resolution was supported by 216 members of the Assembly, three of whom abstained. No one voted against the decision.

The Council of Europe is one of the oldest international human rights organizations in Europe. To date, the organization has 47 member states. One of the greatest achievements of the CoE is the development and adoption of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Russia joined the organization on February 28, 1996.

Earlier, on February 25, Russia's membership in the organization was suspended.

Peter Tolstoy, vice speaker of the Russian State Duma and head of the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, condemned the decision, saying that the work of the Council of Europe without Russia, the largest state in Europe, was losing its meaning.

"Russia will remain the largest country in Europe, without which there can be no Council of Europe. Because there is no truth in it", said Peter Tolstoy.