For more than seven months, Indigenous leaders, human rights defenders, environmental activists, and allies around the world have been speaking out in support of Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt.

On the anniversary of the historic prisoner exchange between Russia, Belarus, and Western countries on August 1, 2024, the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) called for intensified international efforts to secure the release of Indigenous rights defenders Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt. “Indigenous rights defenders Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt have been detained in Russia since December 17, 2025, and are accused of alleged terrorism. The women are innocent, the

On June 11, a Moscow court extended the pre-trial detention of Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt until September 15, 2026. Next week, the Moscow City Court will hear the defense's appeals against that decision. Please come and support Daria and Natalia! Your presence in the courtroom matters. Both Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt will participate in the hearing via video conference from the detention center. 📅 August 5, 2026 (Wednesday)🕚 11:40 a.m.📍 Moscow City Court

The 19th session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), held in Geneva, was not merely a platform for discussing Indigenous rights. It revealed the existence of two fundamentally different approaches to understanding what the protection of these rights means in contemporary Russia.

Natalia Leongardt, a human rights defender with 20 years of experience and a specialist in protecting the rights of Indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East, has been added to the list of eco-prisoners maintained by the Environmental Crisis Group.

During the 19th session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), a side event titled "Protecting Territories, Protecting Defenders: The Role of Documentation and Indigenous Data Sovereignty" brought together Indigenous leaders, experts, and representatives of international organizations. Participants discussed how documentation of violations and data sovereignty help protect the rights of Indigenous peoples and those who advocate for them.

During the 19th session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) in Geneva, participants discussed preparations for the 20th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which will be observed in 2027. Independent Indigenous representatives from Russia stated that the anniversary of the Declaration should not only be an occasion for taking stock but also an opportunity to draw attention to ongoing violations of Indigenou

A number of countries, armed conflicts are accompanied by intensified repression against Indigenous representatives, restrictions on civil liberties, and persecution of those cooperating with UN mechanisms.

During the 19th session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) in Geneva, a meeting took place between Indigenous representatives from seven sociocultural regions of the world and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. Delegates spoke about the most pressing issues facing Indigenous peoples in their regions.

During the discussion of agenda item 3 of the 19th session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), dedicated to the rights of Indigenous peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations, Indigenous representatives from Russia spoke about the disproportionate impact of war and political repression on Indigenous peoples and called on the UN to strengthen its attention to these issues.

On the eve of the 19th session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) in Geneva, a traditional coordination meeting of Indigenous representatives was held. During the event, participants were informed about the ongoing criminalization of Indigenous leaders from Russia, the criminal prosecution of human rights defenders Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt, and the international solidarity campaign in their support.

At the preparatory meeting of Indigenous peoples with members of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), held on the eve of the session's opening in Geneva, Sámi activist Andrey Danilov called for attention to be paid to the issue of Indigenous refugees.

As part of the international Indigenous festival Riddu Riđđu, taking place in Norway, representatives of Indigenous peoples from Russia held a special event dedicated to the deteriorating situation of Indigenous peoples in Russia, repression against independent activists, and the criminal prosecution of human rights defenders Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt.

Arctida, together with The Insider, set out to determine who actually speaks on behalf of Russia's Indigenous peoples at these forums, and whose interests they truly represent.

NGOs Arctida, the Batani Foundation, and the Indigenous Institute have presented a series of analytical reports and an investigation dedicated to how Russia shapes the international representation of Indigenous peoples. The authors conclude that on international platforms, Indigenous issues in Russia are increasingly represented by state structures closely linked to security agencies, as well as individuals affiliated with major extractive corporations.

The Anti-War Committee of Russia has published an analytical report, "Russia's List of Terrorists and Extremists: Political Designations, Compliance Risks, and Cross-Border Effects," examining the use of the Russian list of terrorists and extremists maintained by Rosfinmonitoring. The authors conclude that this mechanism is increasingly applied not only to combat terrorism but also against political opponents, human rights defenders, journalists, religious groups, and civil a

the Foreign Ministry's statements come against the backdrop of growing international criticism of the human rights situation of Indigenous peoples in Russia itself. In recent years, UN special rapporteurs, international human rights organizations, and Indigenous representatives themselves have repeatedly expressed concern over the criminal prosecution of activists, the dissolution of independent organizations, restrictions on Indigenous participation in international mechanis

We received a letter from Daria Egereva forwarded by a person who corresponds with her from the pre-trial detention center. In the letter, Daria shares her emotions after the International Indigenous Peoples' Forum on Climate Change decided to extend her mandate as Vice-Chair, as well as after the UN Special Rapporteurs' appeal regarding her criminal prosecution.

On December 17, 2025, searches and interrogations of Indigenous activists took place in several regions of Russia. On that day, Daria Egereva — a defender of the rights of the Selkup Indigenous people and co-chair of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change — as well as Natalia Leonhardt, a long-time advocate and defender of Indigenous rights, were detained. Both women were arrested and placed in custody.

On June 16, during the UN Climate Conference in Bonn (SB64), human rights defenders, Indigenous representatives, and environmental activists held an international action, "Defending the Defenders." Participants demanded the release of environmental and human rights activists facing persecution in various countries around the world.