Secretary-General of the United Nations
Mr. Antonio Guterres
President of the United Nations Human Rights Council
Mr. Omar Zniber
President of the United Nations General Assembly
Mr. Dennis Francis
President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council
Mrs. Paula Narvaez
Copy to:
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Mr. Volker Turk
The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
The United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Mr. Francisco Cali Tzay
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Russian Federation
Ms. Mariana Katzarova
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
Ms. Mary Lawlor
Your Excellencies
We are reaching out to you regarding the egregious act committed by the Russian government, which simultaneously included 55 organizations of indigenous peoples of Russia, fighting for their rights, in the list of extremist and terrorist organizations.
According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, from now on any participation in the activities of these organizations, cooperation, or even communication with them threatens years of imprisonment for each representative of the indigenous peoples of Russia.
Today, many leaders of the indigenous peoples have been repressed by the authorities and have been forced to leave the country, fearing for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Some activists have had criminal cases fabricated against them by the Russian authorities and have been imprisoned. Currently, the well-known shaman of the indigenous peoples, Alexander Gabyshev, is being subjected to punitive psychiatry in detention, which was widely used against dissenters during the Soviet era, and this spring, without receiving justice, the famous keeper of the sacred lake “Imlor,” Sergey Kechimov, who defended this lake from oil companies, died while under investigation.
Such a massive inclusion of indigenous peoples’ organizations, many of which are well-known and have been operating for a long time, in the list of criminals is a blatant violation of international law. Especially cynical is the fact that, while violating the rights of indigenous peoples, the Russian government accuses organizations and individuals who fight against these violations of extremism.
We express our concern that this act paves the way for further repression against those leaders and activists who live and work in Russia.
We appeal to you to pay attention to this case and take all measures to protect those whose rights have been violated and to prevent new repressions against the indigenous peoples of Russia.
We ask that the situation with the indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation, whose rights are grossly violated by the government, be taken under special control.
Signatures:
- International Committee of Indigenous Peoples of Russia
- Indigenous Russia
- International Indigenous Fund for Development and Solidarity “Batani”
- Arctic Consult
- Society for Threatened Peoples, Germany
- Independent Sakha Movement
- Free Yakutia Foundation
- Indigenous of Russia Foundation
- Fridays For Future
- anti-war ethnic movement “New Tuva” @new_tuva
- Sholbaana Kuular, Tuvan decolonial activist
- Виктория Ҫӑлтӑр независимая активистка
- Free Nogaistan
- Victoria Maladaeva
- Viliuia Choinova, Sakha activist
- Tusgaar Buryad Mongolia
- Buryad Independence Committee
- OIRAD JISAN
- Ksenia Lavrenteva, PhD student
- Aiuna Aiurova
- Vitalii Koloshev
- Animatora Against War movement
- Nicola Bassetto
- IMPACT KENYA
- Pan African IP and LC Alliance
- PINGOs Forum
- Indigenous Taiwan Self-Determination Alliance
- Indigenous Environmental Network
- Australia Indigenous Peoples Organisation
- Megan Dicker
- Organización Waorani de Pastaza
- Association TUNFA
- Juian Cho Society and Maya Leaders Alliance
- International Indian Treaty Council (IITC)
- Dr.Handaine Mohamed President IPACC
- IWBN
- Malach Consulting
- Tebtebba foundation
- Olivia Doyle, Researcher
- Porgera Red Wara (River) Women’s Association Incorporated (PRWWA INC.), Porgera District, Enga Province of Papua New Guinea
- World Forum of Fisher Peoples’ [WFFP]
- Fundacion Ruth zenaida Buendia Metsoquiari
- National Indigenous Women’s Federation
- Nature and Sustainability Initiative
- Sargylana Cherepanova, Artist, game designer
- Colectivo de Trabajo Jenzera
- Lana Pylaeva, komi activist
- Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)
- Unissons nous pour la Promotion des Batwa
- IPACC
- Society for Threatened Peoples, Switzerland
- Porgera Red Wara (River) Women’s Association Incorporated (PRWWA INC.) from Papua New Guinea
- Continental Network of Indigenous Women of Américas-ECMIA
- Porgera Alliance, Papua New Guinea
- The Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI)
- Fourth World Association, Sweden
- London Mining Network
- Pueblo Originario de Sarayaku
- Inclusive Development International
- Institute for Ecology and Action Anthropology
- University of Jyväskylä
- Indigenous Peoples Global Forum for Sustainable Development (IPGFforSD, Global Indigenous Forum)
- Grupo Intercultural Almaciga
- Sociedad civil, Paraguay
- Association pour l’Integration et Developpement Durable au Burundi (AIDB, Indigenous Forum with the UN ECOSOC status)
- Julian Cho Society, Maya Leaders Alliance, Toledo Alcaldes Association
- North Eurasia Solidarity Alliance
- Ingush Independence Committee
- APALAC COALITION
- OFALV:Organisation des Femmes Autochtones pour la Lutte contre la Violence
- KATRIBU Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas
- Project on Organizing, Development, Education, and Research (PODER)
- Nyungar Nation
- Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance
- Misak
- Anti-Discrimination Centre Memorial
- Kermen Ubushieva, kalmyk activist
- Urgenci International Community Supported Agriculture Network
- FIAN International
- Acal-AZUL
- Perhimpunan Pembela Masyarakat Adat Nusantara (PPMAN)
- Dewan Adat Papua
- Lawyers’ Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP)
- Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR)
- United Confederation of Taíno People
- Asia Indigenous Peoples Network on Extractive Industries and Energy (AIPNEE)
- Centro Juventude Covalima (Covalima Youth Centre)
- Pastoralist Indigenous NGOs Forum
- Caribbean Amerindian Development Organization (CADO)
- Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ICITP)
- National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF)
- Radyo Sagada
- Community Empowerment and Social Justice Network (CEMSOJ)
- CONTINENTAL NETWORK OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN OF THE AMERICAS-ECMIA.
- Asia Indigenous Women’s Network
- iINDIGENOUS
- SEMILLA WARUNKWA
- Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN)
- Water Justice and Gender
- European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC)
- Toekomstboeren (La Via Campesina Netherlands)
- International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR)
- Landworkers’ Alliance
- Eco Ruralis – the Association of Peasants in Romania
- Transnational Institute (TNI)
- International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA)
- Amnesty International
- Native American Rights Fund
- Pacific Asia Resource Center (PARC)
- PA “Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan”
- Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan
- The National Congress of American Indians
- International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL)
- Right Energy Partnership with Indigenous Peoples (REP)
- Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS)
- Indigenous Climate Action
- European Network on Indigenous Peoples (ENIP)
- Voices of Nation held captive by moscow
- Ekaterina Morland
- Radio Sakharov
- Comunidad indígena mapuche
- Zomi Human Rights Foundation
- UEFA/RDC
- COORDINATION TUNISIENNE DE LA MARCHE MONDIALE DES FEMMES
- Van Vollenhoven Institute for Law, Governance and Society, Leiden University
- Elkana, Georgia
- Civil Society Forum (CSF)