Russian Jails Indigenous Climate Advocates: Daria Egereva and Natalya Leongardt Face 20 Years on Terrorism Charges

Daria Egereva, an Indigenous Selkup climate advocate, was expected to address the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York this week. Two years ago, she spoke at the forum about how Indigenous peoples are confronting environmental degradation and climate change. Instead, she is now detained in a Russian jail, facing up to 20 years in prison on terrorism charges.

Egereva was arrested on December 17 alongside Natalya Leongardt, another Russian advocate for Indigenous peoples. Leongardt’s name was not publicly released until last week. Both are accused of participating in a terrorist group due to their former involvement in the Aborigen Forum, an informal network of Indigenous advocates shut down by the Russian government two years ago.

Experts warn that their detention signals a growing repression of Indigenous advocacy in Russia, part of the country’s broader authoritarian shift since its invasion of Ukraine.

“Indigenous activists have been a bellwether for new forms of repression that the Russian government then tries out on all the other activists, environmentalists, feminists, other groups of people, human rights.”

— Laura Henry, Professor of Government at Bowdoin College, expert in contemporary Russian politics

Egereva has been a prominent figure in international climate advocacy for years. She currently serves as co-chair of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change, which represents Indigenous perspectives at U.N. climate discussions. Colleagues describe her as upbeat and motivating despite her work on entrenched challenges like climate change.

“She’s strongly advocating … the need to recognize the security of land rights of Indigenous peoples.”

“Not only to be recognized, but to be enhanced and supported, because we are contributing a lot of effective solutions to climate change using our traditional knowledge.”

— Joan Carling, Indigenous Kankanaey from the Philippines, co-founder of Indigenous Peoples Rights International

Two years ago, Egereva spoke at the U.N. Permanent Forum in New York, urging member states to respect the rights of Indigenous peoples. She highlighted the ongoing threats they face:

“Many Indigenous peoples continue to be pushed off their land, experience land degradation, environmental degradation, and lack of access to basic services. Those challenges are heightening the vulnerability of Indigenous peoples all over the world.”

— Daria Egereva

Carling noted Egereva’s constructive approach in global discussions:

“Even in global spaces she’s not even attacking Russia as such, she’s contributing to discussing and presenting Indigenous issues in general.”

— Joan Carling

In November, Egereva attended COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where she emphasized the importance of including Indigenous women in climate policy discussions. She was arrested alongside Leongardt on December 17. Leongardt is known for leading educational programs for Indigenous peoples in Russia and previously served as an intern at the U.N. headquarters in Geneva.

Last month, a Russian court extended their detention until at least early February, continuing their legal limbo.