25 March 2008, 13:07
In Armenia, GALA TV Company managed to raise money to pay the fine
Tonight, people in Armenia have succeeded in raising the necessary sum of money to cover the fine imposed by the Administrative Court of the city of Gyumri on the GALA TV Company.
Director of the Company Vaan Khachatryan and head of the Gyumri Press Club Levon Bersegyan have announced the campaign in support of the GALA TV Company to be an unprecedented victory in the struggle for the freedom of speech.
On March 25, by 6 p.m. local time, the activists managed to raise the necessary sum in full: 26,899,986 drums, or about 90,000 US dollars. Over 10,000 citizens of Armenia and other countries took part in fundraising in support of the TV Company. According to Levon Barsegyan, most of the funds arrived from people in Armenia, since, unfortunately, many transfers from abroad had been blocked in Yerevan, and, most likely, this money will start to arrive to the special account opened at the Gyumri branch of the Unibank later. In the nearest two weeks, the TV Company is planning to appeal against the Administrative Court's ruling to the court of cassation. The Company leaders are also planning to apply to the European Court for Human Rights.
The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has learnt about it at the office in defence of the GALA TV Company.
Author: Lilit Ovanisyan, CK correspondent
