Alexander Novyukhov, President of RAIPON, has issued a statement in connection with the arrest of Daria Egereva and the repression of other Indigenous human rights defenders in Russia.
A few days ago, after a month and a half of silence, Alexander Novyukhov, President of RAIPON—the Association of Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation—finally issued a comment regarding the December arrests in Moscow of Indigenous human rights defenders.
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Statement by A. V. Novyukhov,
President of the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East, RAIPON
January 28, 2026
In connection with investigative actions concerning certain individuals suspected of ties with extremist organizations, I consider it necessary to outline a number of principled points.
First. For 35 years, RAIPON —bringing together dozens of regional and municipal organizations—has defended the rights of our peoples and has resolutely opposed attempts by states to criminalize human-rights activity.
Thanks to our work, dozens of federal and regional laws have been adopted; the collective and individual rights of indigenous peoples have been legally recognized. More than one third of the country’s territory has been designated as areas of our traditional residence and economic activity. We possess legitimate institutions of representation at the federal and regional levels of government, are dynamically developing the institution of regional commissioners for the rights of indigenous peoples, as well as our own educational and expert programs.
The progress achieved convinces us that effective human-rights work must be carried out within the legal framework and must rely on civil institutions that are recognized by, and accountable to, the broad communities of our peoples.
This is a fundamental position!
Second. The Association is formed democratically at nationwide congresses and is accountable to—and bears great responsibility before—40 peoples. In this regard, the Association has no moral right to come out in defense of individuals suspected of ties with organizations officially recognized as extremist and conducting activities against our state.
Members of such entities as the International Committee of Indigenous Peoples of Russia, the Batani International Solidarity Foundation, and the Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North are activists of foreign-established structures such as the “Forum of Free Peoples of Post-Russia,” the political movement “Congress of People’s Deputies,” the so-called “transitional government of Russia in exile,” and others. Their goals are the change of the constitutional order and the dismemberment of the country under the guise of “decolonization.” Their activities are widely publicized in their social-media accounts and press releases of events held. We have repeatedly seen how, standing with Ukrainian flags, they supported on international platforms slanderous anti-Russian statements by members of the “Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People” (Ukraine). This organization advocates the overthrow of Russia’s constitutional order and is linked to the commission of humanitarian crimes against the civilian population—the food, energy, and water blockade of the Crimean Peninsula.
At the same time, such informal groupings as “Indigenous Russia” and the “Aborigen Forum” are used by them to draw individual activists into their orbit. These people may suffer in the absence of proper awareness of the sources of funding, the true aims, and the shadow work of such “coordinators.”
Links with such associations require legal assessment and cannot be justified by references to human-rights or international activity. Thus, Article 46 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that nothing in it may be interpreted as authorizing any action that would lead to the violation of the territorial integrity or political unity of sovereign states.
It is important to understand that in all states, extremist activity encroaching upon the constitutional order and territorial sovereignty is recognized as criminal! In this regard, the substantiation of the charges brought is of key importance, and this can be established only as a result of a lawful investigation.
Third. Certain individuals declare the criminalization of “human-rights-oriented international activity of decolonial activists of the indigenous peoples of Russia.”
In this connection, we have repeatedly stated that indigenous small-numbered peoples have carried out free development within the Russian state for many centuries. Despite a long and complex history of relations with their state, our peoples have preserved their population numbers, traditional institutions of self-government, ways of life, culture, languages, ties to the land, settlement patterns, and systems of life support. This can serve as an example for many regions of the world that have faced colonization, segregation, and violent assimilation, where the numbers of dispossessed indigenous peoples have decreased dozens of times over!
We know exactly who it is that, under the cover of human-rights activity, pushes individual representatives of our peoples toward cooperation with associations consisting of a handful of people who have lived abroad for years. Perhaps some of them are known in international circles. However, they do not have a mandate to speak on behalf of the indigenous small-numbered peoples of Russia, do not participate in national treaty processes concerning our rights, and do not enjoy the trust or recognition of our communities. We have repeatedly witnessed how these individuals used international platforms to spread slander about legitimate organizations and leaders of the Indigenous peoples of Russia. Taking advantage of the Association’s many-year absence from international venues, they fashioned for themselves a convenient image of legitimate civil institutions of our peoples.
The situation regarding the rights of indigenous small-numbered peoples continues to require extensive work. However, there are basic postulates that we consider the foundation of our sustainable development—the Constitution, the sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of the country! Any activity undermining these foundations is not supported by the indigenous peoples of Russia. In difficult moments of history, we have always united and stood up in defense of the Motherland.
The Association proceeds from the principle of the presumption of innocence and expects fair decisions. Only the law must put an end to such matters! It is necessary to wait for the results of the official investigation and court decisions before giving emotional assessments of such sensitive issues.
We understand the concern of Indigenous rights defenders from other countries, including those personally acquainted with some of the suspects. We ask them to show patience, to take all circumstances and our position into account. International solidarity among Indigenous peoples is an important instrument, which will command trust only in the absence of any doubts as to the crystal purity of those under its protection. We are convinced that this situation requires more time. We will monitor developments and, if necessary, become involved in the process.
At the same time, we will continue our work to ensure sustainable development, the practical realization, and the protection of the special constitutional rights of the indigenous small-numbered peoples of Russia.
And we will always remember that we have only one Russia!