Russia exits European anti-torture convention

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a law denouncing the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, according to a government website.

Russia's parliament previously voted to leave the treaty, which Moscow ratified in 1998.

According to the legislation passed by parliament, Russia's denunciation was in response to the Council of Europe refusing to seat a Russian representative on a committee that oversees the anti-torture convention.

(Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Felix Light)