Russian indigenous activist arrested, then released after indigenous conference in Norway

This is the logo of RAIPON, the Russian Arctic indigenous organization whose operations were suspended by officials at Russia’s ministry of Justice in November 2012.

(Updated, June 15, 7:30 a.m.)

A former vice-president of the Russian Association of the Indigenous Peoples of the North, Dmitri Berezhkov, was arrested June 13 after returning from the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples that took place in Alta, Norway this past week.

Berezhkov was released June 15, after a court in Tromsø, Norway found no evidence that he had committed any crime.

But his arrest provoked immediate outrage from indigenous leaders in Norway.

Police had arrested Berezhkov at his home in Tromsø on the request of Russian police, according to Barents Observer, a web news service based in Kirkenes, Norway.

Police told the Barents Observer that “a Russian citizen was arrested in Tromsø on Thursday” and that “the arrest is based on a demanded extradition from Russian police.”

In other reports police said he had been charged with an offence in Russia.

“This is an incredibly strong signal for all of us who are involved in indigenous peoples’ human rights,” Norwegian Saami politician Aili Keskitalo told a local news organization, ABC Nyheter June 14.

“We know that Dmitry was active in the Russian indigenous organization RAIPON. Obviously, I cannot prove that the detention is politically motivated. But, until proven otherwise, I remain concerned and worry that Dmitry will be used to reach more key people in RAIPON.”

Last fall, Russia’s ministry of justice suspended the activities of RAIPON, which represents more than 250,000 indigenous peoples in northern Russia and sits as a permanent participants in the Arctic Council.

Russia’s move to suspend RAIPON’s activities on the grounds that its activities are “illegal,” receiving criticism from Canada, Norway, Greenland and international non-governmental organizations, including the Arctic Council, which also asked for RAIPON’s reinstatement.

In March, that suspension was lifted.

Then, its leadership was changed in an election that was subject to pressure from Moscow.