Gukovo miners state violation of their right to travel

Miners of the "Kingcoal" group of companies, seeking payment of wage debts, are not allowed, for the fourth day already, to leave for Moscow to meet the MP Valery Rashkin, the protesters in the town of Gukovo have stated, demanding to respect their right to free travel.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 19, about 150 Gukovo miners, who demanded payment of wage arrears, gathered in front of the office of the "Kingcoal" Company with the intention to leave for Moscow to meet MP Valery Rashkin. Until this evening, the police did not remove its cordon near the office of the "Kingcoal" Company, in front of which the miners gathered. Meanwhile, the company-carrier refused to provide the protestors with buses promised for their trip.

Today, about 300 former "Kingcoal" workers have come out to hold a picket in the town of Gukovo, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"For the fourth day already, we are not allowed to leave the region. All the roads are blocked by policemen; and tickets to Moscow are not sold," Tatiana Avacheva, a protester, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"We were told that we would not be able to leave either by bus or by plane, or by train, or in a private car. There are no tickets for us!" Ms Avacheva was outraged.

Nikolai Nadkernichny, the coordinator of the protests, has noted that workers wanted to go to Moscow to meet the MP Rashkin, not to hold a rally or a picket; and it is perfectly legal.

"This travel was my last hope! We had to go to make the President hear us. We demand nothing extra, we want to get what we have earned, but they don't treat us as human beings!" another picketer named Natalia told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

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