04:41, 17 April 2018

In Grozny, students forced to attend march on Day of Peace and CTO cancellation

A march in the center of Grozny. Its participants are students and youth activists. Photo by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent

In Chechnya, in honour of the ninth anniversary of the CTO legal regime cancellation, the authorities of the republic organized a march and festive events. In Grozny, students of the higher education institutions claimed they were obliged to participate in the march.

The counterterrorist operation (CTO), which lasted for almost ten years, was provoked by a militants' attempt to invade in Dagestan. The CTO legal regime was officially cancelled on April 16, 2009. In 2010, Ramzan Kadyrov declared that day a national holiday, Day of Peace and CTO Cancellation. However, attacks of militants in Chechnya and beyond the republic were not stopped.

On April 16, thousands of people marched through the centre of Grozny. The march involved students and activists of youth organizations, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

"We have been obliged to take part in the march. We are promised that those of us who fail to attend the march will not be admitted to examinations," said a student.

"A day or two in advance, we are warned that we will have to take part in an event. The motherland says: 'You should!', and we are to answer: 'Yes!'," noted Imran, another participant of the march.

"We are strictly obliged to attend such events. That is treated as a manifestation of activity and patriotism," said student Zarema.

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

Source: CK correspondent