title: Council of Europe
abstract: The Council is supported by the permanent Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. Russia’s voting rights in the Assembly were rescinded in April 2014 following its recognition of the independence of the hitherto Ukrainian autonomous territory of Crimea. In June 2017 Russia temporarily withdrew its budgetary contributions to the Council of Europe. The secretariat incorporates the Secretariats and Regis