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

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

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, July 13, 2026

Christine Diindiisi McCleave, PhD, Turtle Mountain Anishinaabe, said commercial industries are using Indigenous medicines for profit, and the psychedelic movement is making money from Indigenous medicines. Traditional medicine is increasingly  targeted by rapidly expanding psychedelic industries. While others profit, Indigenous struggle to maintain their culture. She said extracting Indigenous resources and knowledge is a contemporary form of colonization for global markets. Dr. McCleave represents the Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund.

 "Around the world, Indigenous medicines and knowledge systems are being commercialized without our free, prior, and informed consent. Others profit from our medicines and our ceremonies while Indigenous communities struggle to maintain our cultural survival and economic self-determination," Dr. McCleave said.

"At the same time, psychedelic churches and new religious movements invoke religious freedom protections to gain access to indigenous medicines, ceremonies, and sacred knowledge without acknowledging the ethnocide, forced assimilation, cultural prohibition, and religious conversion that was inflicted upon indigenous peoples globally through colonization."

"My doctoral research shows that the psychedelic movement is in fact ongoing colonization inflicting harm upon Indigenous peoples and extracting our Indigenous resources and knowledge. In this perpetuation of colonization, Indigenous peoples bear the costs of resource depletion, cultural appropriation, and ecological harm while others accumulate wealth and influence."

"This is an ongoing conflict situation for Indigenous peoples, a contemporary form of colonial extraction in which Indigenous medicine medicines, knowledge, and spiritual traditions are transformed into commercial, religious, and pharmaceutical products for global markets."

ECUADOR -- An Indigenous representative from Ecuador described how Ecuadorian security forces fired projectiles and tear gas at Indigenous on strike in September and October, killing four people, injuring 880 people, and imprisoning 225 people. Indigenous in Ecuador asked the U.N. to help ensure the constitutional rights of those who work in agriculture, and help ensure their protection from harassment and prosecution by the government.

"The communities of the Quechua received as a state response criminalization, criminalized as terrorists, and persecution," he testified. "We also suffered a systemic pattern of institutional abuse through the imposition of continuous states of emergency, arbitrary detention, and the political repression— 225 political detainees."

"What happened in Ecuador wasn't a response to public order, but a systematic response against indigenous peoples who've protected their fundamental rights."

RUSSIA -- The brave Indigenous women from Russia and the Far North testified before the U.N. today -- after Russia labeled them "terrorists" and imprisoned two human rights defenders, both women. Indigenous said today they are being forced into exile, and forced to fight in a war they do not believe in.

"Repression has becoming ever more harsh, including using terrorism and extremism legislation against human rights defenders of Indigenous Peoples. In Russia, that practice is used to persecute representatives of Indigenous Peoples for their peaceful human rights activities and cooperation with UN mechanisms."

"In Russia, on 17th of December 2025, there was arbitrary detention of Daria Egereva, the co-chair of the International Caucus of Indigenous Peoples of the UN on Climate Change, and human rights defender of indigenous peoples Natalia Leongardt. They have been in custody for more than 6 months, threatened with 20-year prison sentences. And there were 17 other indigenous activists who also underwent interrogation and their houses searched, including myself. These people, for their security, were forced to temporarily leave Russia."

During the opening session of the U.N. Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva today, the Russian Federation countered them, affirming Russia's stance.

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.
Screenshot by Censored News

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

Ambassador Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro of Indonesia, president of the Human Rights Council, said he comes from an archipelago where there are 17,000 islands and more than 700 living languages. The people have learned that there is unity in diversity, and this diversity is a heritage to be protected, he said.

"When a language dies, humanity's memory grows shorter," Suryodipuro said as the session began, speaking on the importance of revitalizing Indigenous languages. He also pointed out the tool of artificial language being used to revitalize a language can also be a means of taking Indigenous knowledge without consent.

He concluded by extolling Indigenous Peoples as peacemakers, and speaking in defense of those being persecuted because of their words at the United Nations.

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.

"Indigenous women have a responsibility to care and protect Mother Earth and all of our relations," said Youth Council Board Member, Sophia Carnovale of Ontario's Native Women Association. She urged the Expert Mechanism to increase participation by women and youths, and take the forefront in leadership in action as Indigenous Peoples are increasingly impacted by the loss of land due to resource development. 

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. Masai emphasized the importance of recognizing Indigenous self-governance.

WEST AFRICA -- Speaking on behalf of women of the West African Indigenous Network, an Indigenous representative said armed groups are seizing youths to fight in wars and they are denied their right to attend schools. She points out that children need to be guaranteed the right to an education in order to build a successful and peaceful future. Barnizou Mahmoudou is the Secretary for Women's Affairs within the Kisangé Association.

Speaking of the local communities, she said, "They are often the targets of armed groups that carry out forced recruitment, especially of young people. In this respect, we recommend to contribute to guaranteeing the right to education of all children affected by this crisis, because access to school is crucial for the protection, development, and building a peaceful future. We are convinced that the strengthening of the role of women and investment in education of children represent the most valuable tools to build more resilient communities and ensuring lasting peace."

Indigenous in Okinawa told the U.N. they do not want any more of the land turned into battlefields for the U.S. military. The government of Japan continued to deny that there are Indigenous Peoples in Okinawa.

RUSSIA 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 pointed out the ongoing "militarized extractivism." He represents the Indigenous Committee of Indigenous Peoples of Russia, a network of exiled Indigenous activists and leaders from the Russian Arctic, Siberia, and the Far East.

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.

Today, the Russian Federation continued to criticize the NGOs reporting human rights violations in the country as outsiders and stated it is defending its country from "terrorists."

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

Copyright Brenda Norrell, Censored News, July 13, 2026.