COP31 Draws Attention to the Arrest of Indigenous Peoples’ Forum Co-Chair Daria Egereva
On 10 November 2026, a High-Level Dialogue with Indigenous Peoples Organizations took place in Antalya as part of the UN Climate Change Conference COP31. One of the most significant moments of the meeting was the reading of a letter from Daria Egereva, Co-Chair of the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), who is being held in detention in Russia.
The dialogue was organised with the participation of the COP31 Presidency, the President of Negotiations and the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Representatives of the world’s seven Indigenous socio-cultural regions presented their priorities for international climate policy. The main issues discussed included the protection of lands and territories, Indigenous Peoples’ collective rights, a just energy transition, direct access to climate finance and full participation in decision-making.
Rodion Sulyandziga: “Who Has the Right to Decide the Future of Indigenous Lands?”
Rodion Sulyandziga spoke on behalf of the region of Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation, Central Asia and Transcaucasia, presenting the position of independent Indigenous Peoples of Russia.
In his statement, he drew attention to the contradictions of the global energy transition, which is accompanied by growing demand for critical minerals and the expansion of extractive industries in Indigenous territories.
“When governments discuss the green transition, one fundamental question must be answered: who has the authority to decide what happens on the lands on which this transition depends?” Sulyandziga emphasised.
He said that the concept of a just transition must not become a justification for new forms of dispossession of Indigenous Peoples.
“When governments declare a particular mineral critical to their energy security, Indigenous communities that question or oppose extraction projects risk being portrayed as obstacles to climate action.”
He stressed that Indigenous Peoples’ right to free, prior and informed consent cannot depend on political expediency. Indigenous Peoples must be able to withhold consent to projects without threats, pressure or criminal prosecution.
Sulyandziga paid particular attention to the shrinking space for independent human rights work in Russia.
“In December last year, law enforcement officers searched the homes of 17 Indigenous activists and human rights defenders across the country,” he recalled.
He asked participants to consider the consequences of such actions:
“When the next extraction project is presented to an Indigenous community, who will feel safe enough to speak openly or object? And who will understand the true cost of the silence that follows?”
A second major theme of his statement was the protection of the boreal forests of the North, Siberia and the Far East.
“For Indigenous Peoples, these forests are not simply natural resources or carbon sinks. They are our homeland, where we hunt and fish, raise our children, sustain our livelihoods and pass knowledge from generation to generation.”
Sulyandziga called on states to recognise and protect Indigenous Peoples’ land rights, territorial self-governance and role in preserving ecosystems of global importance for the climate.
A Call to Release Daria Egereva at the High-Level Dialogue
Rodion Sulyandziga devoted a separate part of his statement to the case of Daria Egereva, a representative of the Selkup people and Co-Chair of the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change.
He recalled that a year ago Daria helped organise the work of the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, and was arrested shortly after returning to Russia.
“Her case cannot be treated as an exclusively internal matter for the state. It must become part of this Convention’s diplomatic agenda. It raises fundamental questions about the safety, independence and full participation of Indigenous representatives in the UN climate process.”
Sulyandziga stressed that states are responsible for ensuring conditions in which Indigenous representatives can speak freely at international forums and return home safely.
In conclusion, he addressed three demands to the COP31 Presidency, the UNFCCC Executive Secretary and the participating states:
Publicly condemn the criminalisation and intimidation of Indigenous Peoples and environmental human rights defenders.
Call for the immediate release of Daria Egereva.
Ensure respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights to free, prior and informed consent, self-determination and governance of their territories in the implementation of climate policy.
Daria Egereva’s Letter from a Russian Detention Centre Read at the International Meeting
A particularly emotional and significant moment of the meeting was the reading of Daria Egereva’s letter addressed to participants in the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change.
The letter was read by Maria Michurova, a representative of the Sámi people from Russia.
Addressing participants, she recalled that Daria Egereva had attended COP30 in Brazil but was arrested on 17 December 2025, a few weeks after returning to Russia, together with her colleague Natalia Leongardt.
“Now, instead of international negotiations, her life consists of court hearings, a prison cell and handcuffs,” Maria said.
Despite her imprisonment, Daria continues to stay in touch with her friends, colleagues and Indigenous representatives from different countries.
The reading of the letter became one of the most significant moments of the dialogue, reminding participants that behind discussions of international climate decisions are the lives of real people who face persecution for their civic activities.
COP31 Presidency: Indigenous Peoples Are More than Stakeholders
In the concluding part of the meeting, a representative of the COP31 Presidency thanked participants for presenting their positions and stressed that a just energy transition must be pursued together with Indigenous Peoples, rather than imposed on them.
He noted the need to recognise traditional knowledge, collective rights and territorial governance, and to ensure direct access to climate finance.
“You are not simply stakeholders. You are rights holders, knowledge keepers and indispensable partners,” the Presidency representative emphasised.
A representative of the Australian side also drew attention to the need to protect Indigenous Peoples from repression, criminalisation and violence. In her concluding remarks, she specifically mentioned Daria Egereva’s situation, confirming that participants in the dialogue had heard this concern.
She stressed that full Indigenous participation means more than simply being present at negotiations: it means having a real opportunity to influence the decisions being made.
From Recognising Rights to Concrete Action
The High-Level Dialogue demonstrated that the protection of Indigenous Peoples’ rights must become an integral part of international climate policy.
Indigenous representatives called on states to move from declarations to practical action: ensuring respect for collective land rights, protection from persecution, respect for traditional knowledge and full participation in developing climate solutions.
In this context, the demand for Daria Egereva’s release and for the safety of Indigenous representatives participating in international UN processes took on particular significance.
Daria Egereva’s story became a reminder that Indigenous Peoples’ right to be heard internationally must not result in threats to their freedom and safety when they return home.
COP31 will continue until 20 November. Over the two weeks, Indigenous representatives will seek to have their demands reflected in the negotiating decisions, insisting that a just climate policy is impossible without respect for their rights, protection of their territories and meaningful participation in decision-making.
© IR
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