Crimean Tatar leader speaks about mobilization in Russia: Kremlin is driving indigenous peoples to their deaths

The United Nations and world governments have called for the development of mechanisms to protect the rights of indigenous peoples. Currently, indigenous peoples, including Crimean Tatars, are suffering from wars, repression and discrimination.

Eskender Bariiev, Chairman of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center and member of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, made a statement during the 18th session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. As part of the discussion on interstate conflicts, he called on the international community to declare an "International Decade for Indigenous Peoples' Peacebuilding".

Bariev emphasized that in wars and armed conflicts, indigenous peoples are often among the main victims. He recalled Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, which is accompanied by gross violations of the UN Charter and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

In particular, 156 representatives of the Crimean Tatar people are currently in Russian prisons. Persecution continues, including enforced disappearances of activists.

He also noted that Russia deliberately mobilizes representatives of indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation, including Buryats, Yakuts and others, avoiding conscription of residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The children of Russian diplomats are not at war - they are studying at European and American universities," Bariev said.

In his statement, he voiced a number of recommendations:

• create a mechanism for emergency response to cases of enforced disappearances of indigenous peoples;
• to establish an annual international award for human rights defenders of indigenous peoples;
• support rehabilitation and protection programs for activists;
• provide legal assistance to indigenous political prisoners;
• provide support to the families of prisoners;
• study the impact of interstate conflicts on the development of indigenous peoples;
• strengthen UN missions in conflict zones;
• prioritize support for indigenous peoples affected by wars through the UN Voluntary Fund;
• improve the procedures for registering cultural heritage sites with UNESCO in conflict zones.

In conclusion, Bariiev called on the UN, governments and international organizations to support the initiative to declare a decade of peacebuilding for indigenous peoples, which would be a significant step towards protecting their rights in the world.

In the first half of 2025, almost a hundred arrests were recorded in Crimea, half of which were against members of the Crimean Tatar people. Experts also documented massive human rights violations: illegal interrogations, torture, obstacles to access to justice and medical care, which mostly concerned the indigenous population.

Анна Бальчінос