[JURIST] The Council of Europe [official website], the continent's top human rights watchdog, has rejected overtures by Moscow to stop monitoring Russian compliance with the Council's code of ethics, citing the nation's continued lack of respect for human rights. COE Secretary General Terry Davis, beginning a three-day visit to Russia Monday [COE press release], said in particular that Russia had reneged on its promise to ban the death penalty; while Russia had declared a moratorium on capital punishment upon joining the COE, it never formally banned the practice, and certain groups and legislators in Russia have recently advocated capital punishment for terrorists in the wake of the Beslan school hostage crisis. AFP has more. COE also posts its human rights goals for its 46 member nations.