Daria and Natalia’s Cases Raised at COP17 Discussion on Indigenous Livelihoods
The prosecution of Daria Egereva and Natalia Leongardt was highlighted during a COP17 panel in Yerevan on 21 October, according to Indigenous Russia.
The discussion examined threats to Indigenous Peoples’ traditional livelihoods in Russia, connecting industrial development, restrictions on fishing and hunting, and the persecution of people defending their communities.
Olga Kostrova, representing Northern Women, presented Daria and Natalia’s cases during the panel’s concluding discussion on the criminalization of Indigenous leaders. The panel materials described their detention as prominent examples of growing pressure on Indigenous rights defenders.
Other speakers addressed barriers to traditional resource use. Vyacheslav Shadrin outlined the challenges facing Indigenous communities, while filmmaker Vyacheslav Krechetov discussed industrial development on their territories. Aivana Enmynkau and Irina Kurilova spoke about fishing in Chukotka and Yakutia. Andrey Isakov presented the case of Stepan Pakhomov.
The discussion showed how restrictions on access to land and resources can threaten both livelihoods and cultural continuity. Participants also raised concerns about traditional fishing and hunting being treated as poaching.
For the campaign supporting Daria and Natalia, the panel’s message is particularly important: protecting biodiversity cannot be separated from protecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights—and the people who defend them.
Source: Indigenous Russia, 22 October 2026.
Photo: From the Indigenous Russia publication.
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