– It is very uncomfortable. I hope that Russian Sami do not believe what is being written, says Muotka. Russian online newspapers write, among other things, that Muotka considers Russians who flee the country to be criminals. – This is “fake news”. I have never given an interview to these media or said what is attributed to me, emphasizes Muotka. Nordlys mentioned the case first (external link). The Russian online newspaper Expert has published a case, in which Muotka is quoted (external link). The case has been translated by Google Translate: – A problem for Putin’s regime Sami activist Andrei Danilov is one of those affected by the accusations. He does not believe that Muotka has said what the Russian online newspaper quotes her as saying. – This emphasizes that the development of natural resources in the Arctic is a priority for Russia. Indigenous peoples, represented by activists, are a problem for Putin’s totalitarian regime. Therefore, the activists are intimidated, threatened, imprisoned and arrested. For that reason I had to leave Russia, says Danilov to news. Andrei Danilov has worked extensively with nature conservation and fought against industry’s destruction of nature in indigenous areas. In February, he applied for political asylum in Norway. Photo: Dan Robert Larsen / news Expert writes that Muotka calls anti-Russian rhetoric by certain, named individuals and “individual extremism and speculation” – This provocation by Putin’s propaganda has been going on for many years. Now they have decided to go international, says Danilov. – Professional propagandists Nettavisa Indigenous Russia have published one of Expert’s articles. – We have chosen to publish this to show what is written in the Russian media about the Sami. This is explained by the editor of the internet newspaper Indigenous Russia, Dmitry Berezhkov, to news. Berezhkov says he knows well what Muotka is experiencing. – Muotka is exposed to fake media and professional propagandists. They cook up stories to show the West in a bad light. At the same time, they tell how good and right things are in Russia, Berezhkov explains. “Indigenous Russia” is run by Russians in several countries, who have fled or been exiled from their homeland. They use the website to tell about what is happening in their home country from an indigenous perspective. Dmitry Berezhkov spends much of his time writing about what is happening in Russia. Photo: Dan Robert Larsen / news The President of the Sami Parliament reminds that the Sami are one people in four countries. They live in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. – We in the Sami Parliament believe that the Russian Sami have a homeland also on the Norwegian side. We have to find solutions so that they can stay here as long as they want. They are experiencing an emergency in their home country, Muotka points out. – Wants to control the Sami community in Russia Dmitry Berezhkov belongs to the Itelmen people in Kamchatka. He felt persecuted and harassed because of his political opinions. That is why he applied for political asylum in Norway. The Russian authorities, for their part, claimed that he had been guilty of economic crime, which Berezhkov vehemently denied. After a long case management process, he was granted asylum. For the past ten years, Berezhkov has lived in Tromsø. Dmitry Berezhkov also asked the Helsinki Committee for help, when he was requested to be extradited to Russia. With him to Oslo he had Aili Keskitalo, who was then the leader of the Norwegian Sami National Confederation. Photo: Mette Ballovara / news – The Russian government is trying to control the Sami community in Russia. They control Sami organisations. For example, they have paid a Sami bureaucrat to be the head of the Kola Sami association, Berezhkov says. The Russian embassy in Norway writes this in an e-mail to news: – The embassy cannot comment on statements that do not originate from Russian official sources. – The Kremlin is the main target Berezhkov says that the spread of fake news is part of the Kremlin’s desire for full control over the people’s opinions. – For these fake media, the Western audience is not the main target. Not Russian public opinion either. All of these are immaterial. They only care about the Kremlin. The main audience for the fake news is the Kremlin. There is also an economic motive. – That’s how it works. The fake media produces information. Then the Kremlin pays for this. If, from the Kremlin’s point of view, they do a good job, then they are well paid. Then companies such as the oil company Rosneft will also pay even more, Berezhkov explains.
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The president of the Sámi Parliament is accused of hate speech against Russian asylum seekers – news Sápmi
