August 5: Moscow City Court Upholds Detention of Indigenous Rights Defenders Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt

On August 5, the Moscow City Court dismissed the appeals against the Basmanny District Court's ruling extending the pre-trial detention of Indigenous rights defenders Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt. As a result, they will remain in custody until at least September 15, 2026.

As expected, the appellate instance upheld the decision of the court of first instance without changes.

The hearing was held behind closed doors. However, diplomatic representatives were permitted to attend the pronouncement of the ruling. Four diplomats were present at the court session, including representatives from Australia and the Delegation of the European Union.

Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt were arrested on December 17, 2025, following a series of mass searches and detentions of Indigenous activists in various regions of Russia. They have been charged with participation in a terrorist organization, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Human rights organizations and Indigenous representatives consider the criminal prosecution politically motivated and demand their immediate release.

The court hearing took place on the eve of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, observed on August 9. The international solidarity campaign in support of Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt continues: human rights defenders, Indigenous leaders, and civil society representatives from various countries are calling on Russian authorities to cease the criminal prosecution and release the Indigenous rights defenders.

IR