U.N. Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Begins in Geneva

Professor Valmaine Toki, Māori legal scholar, was selected today as the Chair of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) for 2026.

The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Began in Geneva this morning by the outgoing chairperson and began with words from the president of the Human Rights Council.
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By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, July 13, 2026

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GENEVA -- The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples began today in Geneva, with the selection of Maori legal scholar Valmaine Toki as chairperson.

The session today is focused on the study and advice on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations. The study is viewed through the lens of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The study reveals Indigenous Peoples are being denied possession of their lands, and are impacted more than others by the militarization of their lands, climate change, violation of treaties and peace agreements, and the criminalization of their people.

U.N. Human Rights Defenders Imprisoned in Russia

Indigenous climate leader Daria Egereva and human rights defender Natalia Leongardt, have been held in pre-trial detention in Russia under unfounded charges of terrorism since December 2025.

"Their prosecution sets a dangerous precedent for Indigenous Peoples’ critical advocacy and for those helping facilitate their work - neither of which should ever be met with retaliation," said the International Federation of Human Rights.

Grist reports, "Egereva, who is Indigenous Selkup from Russia, is co-chair of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change, which represents Indigenous peoples’ perspectives at United Nations gatherings."

"Russian authorities arrested her and Leongardt on December 17, just weeks after Egereva returned from the COP30 climate conference. Leongardt, a former intern at the U.N. headquarters in Geneva, has spent her career working on educational programs for Indigenous peoples in Russia."

Indigenous human rights defenders in Russia warn that leading NGOs have been co-opted, and taken over by the Russian government. 

"Daria Egereva, an Indigenous leader, wife and mother, active at the United Nations, has been imprisoned since December 17, 2025 by Putin's government for speaking out." -- Cultural Survival

Russia is not alone in corruption, deception and threats of exile.

In a bolt of white patriotism, Trump denied the U.S. is built on stolen land and claimed those who believe this are "thieves, radicals, and lunatics" who he plans to exile. Trump's statement was during the fireworks at Mount Rushmore. The Oglala Laktoa Nation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, opposed-- the fireworks event in the Sacred Black Hills.

In the U.S. some of the non-profits have been taken over by hustlers, forcing out the Native American founders. In the far north, and around the world, mining is poisoning the air, water, and land, and forcing Indigenous Peoples from their homelands.

During the morning session, the government of Guatemala described its efforts as thousands of Indigenous girls and boys are among the victims of the long standing violence in the country.

The statement from Masai in Africa described how institutional efforts are failing to address the reality of the loss of land, water and grazing for their people, pointing out there is no "free, prior and informed consent," of Masai, as stated in the U.N. Declaration on Human Rights.

Today, a human rights defender from Russia told the U.N. Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that he was given refuge by the Saami. He described how human rights defenders in Russia are being labeled "terrorists." He represents the Indigenous Committee of Indigenous Peoples of Russia. The International Committee of Indigenous Peoples of Russia (ICIPR) is a network of exiled Indigenous activists and leaders from the Russian Arctic, Siberia, and the Far East.

Russia continues to label human rights defenders as "terrorists"

Statement by the Head of the Russian Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs, Igor Barinov, at the 19th Session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Image by Russian Federation on Twitter

July 13, 2026, Geneva
The topic of the study on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations is crucial and requires an impartial, depoliticized approach and a clear understanding of the facts.
Unfortunately, the report misrepresents the situation in the Russian Federation. For example, paragraph 36 completely disregards the root causes of the conflict around Ukraine and presents unsubstantiated conclusions based on unreliable information.
Paragraphs 58 and 78 are based solely on the assertions of three non-governmental organizations well known for their destructive activities.
Russia, like any State, is obligated to suppress any manifestations of terrorist and extremist activity aimed at violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. The actual activities of the organizations mentioned in paragraph 58, which are based outside of Russia, bear no relation to the rights of Indigenous Peoples and is incompatible with human rights work in general.
For this reason, Russia's Indigenous Peoples themselves, in accordance with their public collective statements, regard their activities against the constitutional foundations of their State as a threat to their sustainable development.
Our country has its own historical experience recognizing and ensuring the rights of Indigenous Peoples. This approach has enabled them to preserve their populations, traditional systems of settlement, subsistence, and self-government for centuries.
We remain committed to a constructive and depoliticized dialogue with international mechanisms. At the same time, we stress the importance of strictly adhering to the so-called division of labor within the UN, according to which issues of peace and security fall within the exclusive competence of the UN Security Council.
The Expert Mechanism's violation of its mandate undermines trust in the mechanism and its research.

Human Rights Council Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Nineteenth session Geneva, 13–17 July 2026

Agenda

1. Election of officers. 2. Adoption of the agenda and organization of work. 3. Study and advice on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations. 4. Coordination meeting of United Nations Indigenous rights mechanisms. 5. United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 6. Country engagement. 7. International Decade of Indigenous Languages. 8. Panel discussion on Indigenous Peoples and artificial intelligence. 9. Enhancing the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the United Nations. 10. Preparing for twenty years of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 11. Future work of the Expert Mechanism, including follow-up to recommendations made in previous studies and advice. 12. Proposals to be submitted to the Human Rights Council for its consideration and approval. 13. Adoption of studies and reports.

The Expert Mechanism provides the Human Rights Council with expertise and advice on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It assists Member States in achieving the goals of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

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Trump Denies He's On Stolen Land

MOUNT RUSHMORE, South Dakota -- In a bolt of white patriotism, Trump denied the U.S. is built on stolen land and claimed those who believe this are "thieves, radicals, and lunatics" who he plans to exile. Sounding as if he was reading from a 1950s script on communism instead of the teleprompter, Trump's words were meant to divide.

The Oglala Lakota Nation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, opposed Trump's fireworks event at Mount Rushmore in the Sacred Black Hills.

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https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2026/07/seek-shelter-at-trumps-fireworks-event.html