GALA closure damages Armenia’s image
by Nune Arevshatyan
Aravot, Armenia
April 19 2008
US Charge D’affaires Joseph Pennington, on a two-day visit to
[Armenia’s second city of] Gyumri, has strongly criticised the
persecution of the TV company [independent GALA TV] as well as the
post-election developments in Armenia.
Although the diplomat was in Gyumri to familiarize himself with the
city, it was clear that his visit was connected with the scandal in
the second largest city of the republic – the suspension of GALA TV
broadcasts. Immediately after the Armenian Court of Appeals on Civil
Cases ruled that the TV tower should be taken from the independent news
channel, GALA TV was taken off the air for 20 hours on 17 April, and
that made a lot of fuss in Gyumri. Pennington visited the TV station
and found out some things, after which, he made warning hints to the
newly-elected authorities of Armenia.
Speaking at the Asparez Club of Journalists in Gyumri the day before,
Pennington reminded the [Armenian] authorities – who have shifted from
democracy – of the essential conditions of the Millennium Challenge
Account. Then he spoke about the people detained for their political
views and the illegalities taking place in Armenian courts these days.
"We think that there are two groups of detained people: people who
were detained for violence, theft, looting and for provoking riots –
they should be criminally prosecuted, and this is the obligation of the
authorities. But I also think that there are people who were detained
because of their views, opinions, for participating in rallies and
marches. We think that such detentions are not in line with democratic
standards. The problems that have emerged in Armenia should be resolved
in Armenia, and the international community and the USA have little,
certain role in terms of encouraging the authorities to take steps
necessary for ensuring human rights and basic liberties. If they do not
take place, our relations cannot be continued. We hope that Armenia
will settle these issues, and the USA, as part of the international
community, will clearly point to where the key difficulties are. We
will offer our assistance, such as freedom of press, rule of law,
but I repeat that the assistance could be effective only if the
government wants a democratic path. We wish success to the country’s
leadership, we are ready to help, but there should be the political
will, determination towards democratic development," Pennington said
in a half-mentoring and demanding way.
When we asked what his impression of the trials was, Pennington said:
"Yes, we have participated in the trials and are concerned that in some
cases, the law is applied arbitrarily. In other words, they are used
against people on the other side of the political field. The rule of
law, is of course, a basic provision for democracy. What matters most
of all is that all citizens in Armenia and the USA have the confidence
that they will be treated equally in court." As for GALA, he said: "The
fact that GALA’s problems began after the views of some politicians
were aired raises suspicions that the problem is in the political
field, not in the tax field. But this, of course, harms Armenia’s
image, its path to democracy. All the people who made donations to
the TV station showed that a TV station like GALA is needed."