When the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) decided to expel the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe in March 2022, it simultaneously underlined the importance of maintaining dialogue with Russia’s democratic and anti-war forces, as well as with civil society. Responding to this political signal, Free Russia Foundation, together with other representatives of the Russian opposition, began systematic and sustained engagement with PACE, seeking to establish the Assembly as one of the key international platforms supporting Russian political prisoners and civil society.
When the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) decided to expel the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe in March 2022, it simultaneously underlined the importance of maintaining dialogue with Russia’s democratic and anti-war forces, as well as with civil society. Responding to this political signal, Free Russia Foundation, together with other representatives of the Russian opposition, began systematic and sustained engagement with PACE, seeking to establish the Assembly as one of the key international platforms supporting Russian political prisoners and civil society.
In June 2022, representatives of Free Russia Foundation and Russian democratic leaders initiated direct dialogue with the Assembly’s leadership. Between 20 and 22 June, meetings were held with PACE President Tiny Kox, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, and leaders of the Assembly’s main political groups-from the European People’s Party to liberals and social democrats. Yevgenia Kara-Murza took part in these meetings, contributing to the articulation of priorities related to political prisoners and repression in Russia, in line with Free Russia Foundation’s mission.
On 21 June 2022, PACE adopted Resolution 2446 (2022) based on the report by Special Rapporteur Sunna Ævarsdóttir on political prisoners in Russia-one of the first Assembly documents to explicitly acknowledge the scale of repression following the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
On the same day, Yevgenia Kara-Murza spoke at a PACE side event dedicated to political repression in Russia, placing the issue of Russian political prisoners at the center of the session’s agenda.
In autumn 2022, Vladimir Kara-Murza, was awarded the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize of PACE. The award ceremony and the Assembly’s statements became a powerful international signal of solidarity with Russian political prisoners.
In December 2022, the first preparatory meeting was held in Paris, effectively launching negotiations on the future PACE platform for dialogue with Russian democratic forces.
Representatives of Russian democratic movements-including Free Russia Foundation, the Anti-War Committee, and FBK-took part in a meeting with an adviser to the PACE President. This meeting had a foundational character and initiated the political process leading to the creation of the PACE “Platform.”
In June 2022, representatives of Free Russia Foundation and Russian democratic leaders initiated direct dialogue with the Assembly’s leadership. Between 20 and 22 June, meetings were held with PACE President Tiny Kox, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, and leaders of the Assembly’s main political groups-from the European People’s Party to liberals and social democrats. Yevgenia Kara-Murza took part in these meetings, contributing to the articulation of priorities related to political prisoners and repression in Russia, in line with Free Russia Foundation’s mission.
On 21 June 2022, PACE adopted Resolution 2446 (2022) based on the report by Special Rapporteur Sunna Ævarsdóttir on political prisoners in Russia-one of the first Assembly documents to explicitly acknowledge the scale of repression following the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
On the same day, Yevgenia Kara-Murza spoke at a PACE side event dedicated to political repression in Russia, placing the issue of Russian political prisoners at the center of the session’s agenda.
In autumn 2022, Vladimir Kara-Murza, was awarded the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize of PACE. The award ceremony and the Assembly’s statements became a powerful international signal of solidarity with Russian political prisoners.
In December 2022, the first preparatory meeting was held in Paris, effectively launching negotiations on the future PACE platform for dialogue with Russian democratic forces.
Representatives of Russian democratic movements-including Free Russia Foundation, the Anti-War Committee, and FBK-took part in a meeting with an adviser to the PACE President. This meeting had a foundational character and initiated the political process leading to the creation of the PACE “Platform.”
In 2023, Free Russia Foundation’s work with PACE entered a stable, institutional phase. In March and December, representatives of the Foundation and other anti-war organizations took part in meetings with the Assembly’s leadership and heads of political groups. These meetings were officially recorded by PACE as dialogue with Russian democratic forces.
In spring and summer, Yevgenia Kara-Murza regularly addressed hearings of the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, raising issues of systemic repression, the persecution of anti-war Russians, and the need for targeted sanctions mechanisms.
In autumn 2023, PACE took a further institutional step by beginning the creation of a special contact platform for dialogue with Russian pro-democracy forces. Representatives of Free Russia Foundation actively contributed to hearings and discussions related to this initiative.
In 2023, Free Russia Foundation’s work with PACE entered a stable, institutional phase. In March and December, representatives of the Foundation and other anti-war organizations took part in meetings with the Assembly’s leadership and heads of political groups. These meetings were officially recorded by PACE as dialogue with Russian democratic forces.
In spring and summer, Yevgenia Kara-Murza regularly addressed hearings of the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, raising issues of systemic repression, the persecution of anti-war Russians, and the need for targeted sanctions mechanisms.
In autumn 2023, PACE took a further institutional step by beginning the creation of a special contact platform for dialogue with Russian pro-democracy forces. Representatives of Free Russia Foundation actively contributed to hearings and discussions related to this initiative.
The year 2024 marked a turning point. In April, Yevgenia Kara-Murza addressed the PACE plenary session, after which the Assembly adopted three key resolutions on Russia.
These included a resolution on the detention of Vladimir Kara-Murza, a resolution addressing the death of Alexei Navalny, and a resolution on sanctions against Russian human rights violators, including the so-called “Kara-Murza list.”
The year 2024 marked a turning point. In April, Yevgenia Kara-Murza addressed the PACE plenary session, after which the Assembly adopted three key resolutions on Russia.
These included a resolution on the detention of Vladimir Kara-Murza, a resolution addressing the death of Alexei Navalny, and a resolution on sanctions against Russian human rights violators, including the so-called “Kara-Murza list.”
The speech focused on the situation of Russian political prisoners, ongoing repression inside Russia, and the need for institutionalized dialogue between PACE and Russian democratic and anti-war forces.
The speech focused on the situation of Russian political prisoners, ongoing repression inside Russia, and the need for institutionalized dialogue between PACE and Russian democratic and anti-war forces.
In 2024–2025, meetings between representatives of Free Russia Foundation and PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos, as well as the Council of Europe leadership, became regular and structured, taking place both in Paris and Strasbourg.
These contacts were no longer reactive or ad hoc: Free Russia Foundation had de facto established itself as one of PACE’s key partners for engagement with Russian civil society.
In 2024–2025, meetings between representatives of Free Russia Foundation and PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos, as well as the Council of Europe leadership, became regular and structured, taking place both in Paris and Strasbourg.
These contacts were no longer reactive or ad hoc: Free Russia Foundation had de facto established itself as one of PACE’s key partners for engagement with Russian civil society.
During the September session of PACE (late September-early October 2025), intensive work was carried out on draft Resolution 2621, devoted to the creation of a platform for dialogue with Russian democratic forces. Until the established deadline, PACE members and civil society representatives submitted amendments and detailed justifications to the draft text.
Ahead of the resolution’s adoption, a group of PACE members-at the initiative of Free Russia Foundation-submitted an amendment aimed at removing the restriction that limited participation in the Platform exclusively to representatives of Russian democratic forces located outside Russia (the “in exile” wording).
Among the authors of the amendment were, Knut Abraham, the head of the German delegation to PACE, and Emanuelis Zingeris, the doyen of the Assembly. Although the amendment was duly registered and considered, it was later withdrawn at the level of the PACE Political Affairs Committee and did not enter the final text of the resolution.
Within the same procedure, Free Russia Foundation also advocated for an amendment removing the direct reference to the Berlin Declaration. The justification noted that key political and legal assessments-such as the illegitimacy of Vladimir Putin’s presidency, the criminal nature of the war, leadership responsibility, the need to support Ukraine, as well as PACE’s positions on Georgia and Moldova-were already reflected elsewhere in the resolution. Singling out one political document, it was argued, risked creating institutional preference for a particular group of Russian political forces. This amendment was also not included in the final text.
In parallel, a memorandum prepared by PACE’s rapporteur on Russia, Eric Cross, circulated political assessments and references to specific initiatives, including the Berlin Declaration. This memorandum was not a normative PACE document, was not subject to amendments, and reflected the personal position of the rapporteur.
During the September session of PACE (late September-early October 2025), intensive work was carried out on draft Resolution 2621, devoted to the creation of a platform for dialogue with Russian democratic forces. Until the established deadline, PACE members and civil society representatives submitted amendments and detailed justifications to the draft text.
Ahead of the resolution’s adoption, a group of PACE members-at the initiative of Free Russia Foundation-submitted an amendment aimed at removing the restriction that limited participation in the Platform exclusively to representatives of Russian democratic forces located outside Russia (the “in exile” wording).
Among the authors of the amendment were, Knut Abraham, the head of the German delegation to PACE, and Emanuelis Zingeris, the doyen of the Assembly. Although the amendment was duly registered and considered, it was later withdrawn at the level of the PACE Political Affairs Committee and did not enter the final text of the resolution.
Within the same procedure, Free Russia Foundation also advocated for an amendment removing the direct reference to the Berlin Declaration. The justification noted that key political and legal assessments-such as the illegitimacy of Vladimir Putin’s presidency, the criminal nature of the war, leadership responsibility, the need to support Ukraine, as well as PACE’s positions on Georgia and Moldova-were already reflected elsewhere in the resolution. Singling out one political document, it was argued, risked creating institutional preference for a particular group of Russian political forces. This amendment was also not included in the final text.
In parallel, a memorandum prepared by PACE’s rapporteur on Russia, Eric Cross, circulated political assessments and references to specific initiatives, including the Berlin Declaration. This memorandum was not a normative PACE document, was not subject to amendments, and reflected the personal position of the rapporteur.