The PACE announced the non-recognition of Putin's legitimacy

In the resolution on the death of Russian opposition leader Oleksiy Navalny, the PACE called on the PACE to stop all contacts with Vladimir Putin.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) does not recognize the legitimacy of Vladimir Putin as the President of the Russian Federation. This is stated in PACE resolution 2540, dedicated to the death of Russian opposition leader Oleksiy Navalny. The document was approved on Wednesday, April 17.

"The Assembly does not recognize the legitimacy of Vladimir Putin as the President of the Russian Federation and repeats its call to the member states and observers of the Council of Europe and the European Union to stop all contact with him, except for humanitarian purposes and in pursuit of peace," the resolution reads.

The document states that "the cancellation of presidential term limits in favor of Vladimir Putin violates not only the Constitution of Russia, but also established international legal principles."

PACE emphasized that under Putin's rule, Russia has become a de facto dictatorship. He not only suppressed the democratic opposition inside the country, but also does not respect the democratic choice of the neighboring states and their political independence.

In addition, PACE blamed Russia and its government for the death of opposition leader Oleksii Navalny.

"The Assembly considers that the Russian state bears full responsibility for the murder of Oleksiy Navalny, who was subjected to torture, inhuman and degrading treatment in violation of the decisions and interim measures of the European Court of Human Rights and who, in addition, survived an assassination attempt with the use of chemical of weapons, committed in 2020 by a squad of FSB killers. Navalny became the last critic of Vladimir Putin to die at the hands, or at least with tacit approval, of the Russian apparatus of oppression," the resolution said.

The PACE called on all states to "apply to the regime of Vladimir Putin the existing anti-money laundering legislation aimed at combating organized crime and the financing of terrorism", to identify all private or legal entities that can be classified as facilitators and to apply strict punishment measures to them, including asset forfeiture.

A separate paragraph of the resolution is dedicated to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). PACE calls on member states and observers of the Council of Europe, as well as the EU, to "recognize that the Russian Orthodox Church is actually used by the Kremlin regime as an instrument of Russian influence and propaganda and has nothing to do with freedom of religion and freedom of expression guaranteed by Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and political rights".

And in October 2022, PACE recognized Russia as a terrorist regime. This decision was supported by 99 delegates and only one abstained.