Residents of Chechnya tell about coercion methods to May Day actions

The authorities of Chechnya have claimed a 100-thousand-strong demonstration on May 1 in Grozny, although the trade unions announced only 28,000. The attendance of the event for many was mandatory.

The square in front of Akhmat Kadyrov Memorial Glory Complex has housed a rally on the Day of Spring and Labour. In Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, it brought together over 100,000 people, the "Grozny-Inform" News Agency has reported. In his turn, Mikhail Shmakov, the chairman of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia, had announced the participation of 28,000 people in the rally, the "Interfax" reports.

A source from the administration of the Chechen capital has explained to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that "as practice shows, much more people come to the actions than applied for." "The motto of the today's action is 'For fair economy in the interests of the working man!' said an employee of the Grozny Mayoralty.

According to the participants in the rally, the attendance was "strictly mandatory."

Earlier, Khusain Soltagereev, the chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Chechnya, announced the voluntary participation of employees of budgetary organizations (state servants) in the actions. "I understand when you can force 1-5 persons to come, but how can you force tens of thousands of people to come to the rally?" the "ChechnyaToday" quotes the official as asking.

The practice of forced participation in various actions is typical for Chechnya, said Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, the director of the Centre for Conflict Analysis and Prevention.

Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the Civil Assistance Committee, has stressed that the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, "as if participates in a competition by the number of people driven out to the action."