Andrei Danilov, the Sámi Heritage and Development Foundation’s ex-head, has emigrated to Norway. The social activist said that the reason was the pressure on the human rights movement in Russia and the risks he was facing when advocating indigenous peoples’ rights. Danilov also opposed military operations in Ukraine. Novaya Gazeta reported on his departure.
Andrei Danilov said that he was in Norway and planning to apply for political asylum. The social activist said that the reason for his departure from Russia was the pressure on the human rights movement and the risks he was facing when advocating indigenous peoples’ rights.
The Sámi Heritage and Development Foundation’s ex-head opposed Russia's "special operation" in Ukraine. He said that he would not accept the president’s attitude, and military operations, in his opinion, were "monstrous." Danilov declared that he was against violence and held an anti-war picket in Oslo, Norway.
Andrei Danilov is a social activist from Murmansk who advocates the small indigenous Sámi people’s rights. In March 2019, the activist applied to the Ministry of Natural Resources of Murmansk Oblast for a mark in his hunting permit to hunt and conduct traditional Sámi activities. The indigenous people’s representative was refused and appealed to the court. According to Danilov, the state deprives him of the right to preserve his identity. On August 6, 2019, the Pervomaysky District Court of Murmansk dismissed the suit. Andrei Danilov had to prove his nationality at the hearing.
Danilov filed an appeal. The Murmansk Regional Court upheld the first instance’s decision, after which the representative of the Sámi appealed to a Court of Cassation. The Court of Cassation sided with the activist in 2020 and recognized him as Sámi, but did not issue him a hunting permit because of Danilov's apartment, which contradicts his traditional lifestyle. In August 2021, police detained Danilov during a city festival. Law enforcement officers demanded that he show his backpack’s contents, but Danilov refused to do that. The court arrested the activist for five days.
