Indigenous climate leader daria egereva remains jailed in russia on terrorism charges despite international outcry

Two months after her arrest, prominent Indigenous climate advocate Daria Egereva remains imprisoned in Russia facing terrorism charges that could result in a 20-year sentence. The Selkup Indigenous leader, who co-chairs the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change, was detained on December 17, just weeks after representing Indigenous women’s perspectives at the COP30 climate conference in Brazil.

A Moscow court recently extended Egereva’s detention until at least March 15, despite mounting international pressure for her release. The UN and nearly three dozen Indigenous organizations have condemned her imprisonment, arguing that her work was “exclusively professional, nonviolent, and institutional in nature.” UN Human Rights spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan called her detention a concerning example of counterterrorism laws being used against those exercising fundamental freedoms.

Egereva’s case reflects Russia’s broader crackdown on Indigenous rights advocacy. Under Vladimir Putin’s government, 55 Indigenous organizations have been designated as “extremist,” including groups Egereva previously worked with before authorities shut them down. This persecution occurs despite Russia’s outward support for Indigenous peoples, highlighting the dangerous reality facing environmental defenders globally.

According to Global Witness, over 700 Indigenous environmental defenders were killed or disappeared between 2012 and 2024. Egereva’s closed-door hearings and sealed court documents exemplify the lack of transparency surrounding such cases, while her detention sends a chilling message about the risks Indigenous advocates face when participating in international climate negotiations.