RFE/RL reports that a group of civil society organizations staged yesterday a protest in support of the embattled Gyumri-based regional TV station, GALA TV. The station has been under pressure from the authorities since allocating extensive airtime to the speeched and activities of former president Levon Ter Petrosian. Interestingly, as is the case with another Ter Petrosian supporter, the authorities are using the tax inspection services to exert pressure on political opponents.

Hundreds of people rallied in Armenia’s second largest city of Gyumri on Wednesday in support of a local television station that has been facing uncertain future ever since providing airtime to former President Levon Ter-Petrosian.

The demonstration was organized by local and Yerevan-based civic groups amid ongoing judicial proceedings that could result in GALA TV being taken off the air. The station was raided by tax inspectors in late October. Its parent company, Chap, was subsequently charged with evading more than 25 million drams ($82,000) in taxes.

The State Tax Service (STS) also alleged that the small broadcaster has been illegally using the local television tower to air its programs to Gyumri and surrounding areas. Earlier this month, the Gyumri municipality asked Armenia’s Economic Court to force GALA to remove its transmitter from the facility. The court already ruled on November 26 to freeze Chap’s bank accounts and other assets worth the alleged tax shortfall.

GALA’s owner and staff reject the criminal case as baseless and link it to their decision to air, as a paid advertisement, Ter-Petrosian’s September 21 that contained harsh criticism of Armenia’s leadership. Organizers of the demonstration echoed the claim in their speeches.

According to the report, members of Ter Petrosian’s main support base were also at the action staged by various civil society groups which continue to maintain a close relationship and partnership for the election. According to the blogger and Sksela activist Observer, the action was the initiative of the pro-opposition youth movement with logistical support supplied by the Center for Regional Development/Transparency International Armenia.

The Armenian Observer quotes from an E-Channel report on the action.

Armed with the posters Paws off from Gala, our Favorite Child!; Authorities change, Freedom is eternal; Enemies of Freedom of Speech will be punished by the Law and, Public Ignorance, and that Day will come by the Damnation of God, the gathering organizers and participants left Asparez journalists’ club for the Theater Square in Gyumri.

The rally was appointed at 16:00. According to different calculations, despite the cold and windy weather, there were about 1000 people in the square. People from neighbor villages had arrived in Gyumri to take part in the gathering. A reporters’ group from Yerevan had arrived in order to support Gala.

[…]

Among the participants were Hovhannes Margaryan from CofL, chairman of Democratic Homeland Petros Makeyan, editor of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper Nikol Pashinyan, chairman of Freedom of Speech Protection Committee Ashot Melikyan.

Each speaker finished their statement with the exclamation Freedom to Gala!

Interestingly, according to both E-Channel and RFE/RL, political support for the station seems to be broad-based with a member of the Orinats Yerkir party in attendance. One wonders if some of those involved with CRD/TI Armenia, Sksela and the other groups will continue to label the party as the “false opposition” and allege that they are secretly collaborating with and working for the authorities?