Police have shut down an illegal sewing factory in the Moscow region where 15 minors aged 11 to 17 worked seven days a week without pay, the Interior Ministry said Monday.
The sweatshop was run by a Kyrgyz national who recruited the children from low-income families in Kyrgyzstan, promising their parents that the children would receive a monthly salary of 5,000 rubles ($170), three meals daily, good living conditions and weekends off, the ministry said in an e-mailed statement.
The children were transported to the sweatshop in the town of Noginsk, about 70 kilometers east of Moscow, by bus, car or train, where they were only fed bread and mayonnaise and lived in barracks.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.