Øyvind Ravna: An Indigenous Rights Defender Should Have Received the Nobel Peace Prize
On 9 October 2026, NRK Sápmi published comments by Øyvind Ravna, a professor of law at the University of Tromsø, on the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s decision. Ravna, who nominated Daria Egereva together with former UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples James Anaya, expressed disappointment that she had not received the prize.
He nevertheless described this year’s laureate, South African human rights advocate and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, as a worthy choice. He said that standing up for human rights and international law was particularly important in today’s world.
Ravna also believed the committee could have supported an Indigenous woman who had defended human rights at the risk of her own safety. He suggested that the decision might reflect a reluctance to stand up for critics of the Russian authorities.
NRK’s brief report brings renewed attention to Daria and the purpose of her nomination: recognising the peaceful work of Indigenous rights defenders and the risks they face.
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