In Grozny, students claim being forced to come to rally

Grozny holds mass events on the occasion of the Day of National Unity with enhanced security measures. City residents report that the city centre has been cordoned off. Grozny students claimed that they were obliged to come to the rally in the morning and to a football match in the evening.

In Grozny, the authorities have announced for today a "mass rally" under the slogan: "Russia Unites". "Cultural, entertainment and sports events will be held in the city," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed by officials from the administration for the leader and government of Chechnya.

Students and employees of public institutions claimed being obliged to participate in the rally.

"We were warned in advance that we would have to participate in the rally and to come to watch a football match in the evening. Today, football teams of the 'Akhmat' and 'Rostov' FCs are playing at the stadium 'Akhmat Arena'. They promised to severely punish those who would not come, up to kicking out of university," reported Aslan, a student of a high education institution.

Abdul, another student, reported that rally participants were brought to the city centre and provided them with festive symbols. The young man has also confirmed that in the evening, students should come to a football match to support the "Akhmat" football team.

Earlier, students have also claimed being obliged to visit the match between the football teams of the "Akhmat" and Dagestani "Anji" FCs. According to students, they were threatened that those who would fail to come to the stadium would not be admitted to exams and kicked out of the high education institutions.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.