Daria Egereva Named in Indigenous Peoples’ Statement at COP31
At the UN climate conference COP31 in Türkiye, representatives of Indigenous Peoples from around the world delivered a statement drawing the international community’s attention to the persecution of Indigenous rights defenders. The statement specifically mentions Daria Egereva, a representative of Russia’s Selkup People and Co-Chair of the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), who has been held in detention since December 2025.
The statement was delivered on 9 November, the opening day of COP31, by Patuharakeke representative Quack Pirihi.
“Yet our rights defenders, such as our Co-Chair Daria Egereva, face violence, criminal prosecution and repression when we speak out to defend our rights and territories,” the statement by the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change says.
Daria Egereva, elected IIPFCC Co-Chair in 2023, has participated for many years in international negotiations on climate change and the protection of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. She was detained in Russia on 17 December 2025, shortly after taking part in the COP30 climate conference in Brazil.
The reference to Egereva in the Indigenous Peoples’ statement at COP31 connects her case to the broader issue of safety for Indigenous representatives participating in international UN processes.
The statement’s authors emphasised that Indigenous Peoples have shared their knowledge and scientific approaches at climate negotiations for more than 30 years, yet continue to face violations of their collective rights.
Representatives of the seven Indigenous sociocultural regions demanded full participation in climate decision-making, protection of traditional territories, guaranteed direct access to climate finance, and respect for the principle of free, prior and informed consent.
Daria Egereva’s case became one of the concrete examples of the threats faced by Indigenous rights defenders. Her name was heard in the statement of an international body representing Indigenous Peoples within the UN climate process.
At COP31, the question of her release was also raised during the High-Level Dialogue with Indigenous Peoples’ organisations on 10 November. Indigenous representatives called for Egereva’s immediate release and the protection of activists from criminal prosecution for their human rights work.
COP31 is taking place in Antalya from 9 to 20 November 2026.
Photo: www.iipfcc.org.
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