A fine against us all: solidarity with "Acció Cultural"
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On 17th February, Acció Cultural del País Valencià (ACPV) was forced to stop the TV3 broadcasts in the Valencian region, after 26 years. During this time, TV3 had become an normalized television station in the Valencian region, where it has distinguished for its quality and for the fact that it is one of the few TV stations available in Catalan.

In spite of this, president Francisco Camps (of the Valencian region) decided, four years ago, to open a series of administrative suits against the organisation responsible for these broadcasts, Acció Cultural, and this has become a long political and economic persecution. Last October, the organisation already had to pay €126,943.90 to pay a first fine, and now faces two more fines totalling almost €800,000 (of which €130,000has already been paid), an absolutely disproportionate amount for a not-for-profit cultural association whose continuity is now in danger.

During the last four years, Acció Cultural has made evident the very wide support TV3 enjoys in the Valencian region, culminating in the successful demonstration last 16th April in Valencia. In this context, it is also remembering the 651,650 signatures collected for the “Television without Borders” Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP), to legalize the reception of all televisions in Catalan throughout the linguistic area, and that may now begin its parliamentary course inside the Spanish Congress of Deputies.

Both the bill driven by the ILP and the appeal that Acció Cultural has lodged before the Supreme Court may end up showing the organisation was right in this artificial conflict; but, for the time being, Acció Cultural has to pay the outstanding fines unless it wants to suffer the embargo of its bank accounts and its properties and goods. In the face of this grave situation, our duty is to collaborate to collectively pay a fine that in reality is against all those who believe in media plurality and the freedom of speech. Today, then, different media are publishing this public call to ask you to make a donation to Acció Cultural (www.acpv.cat): just as the 651,650 signatures for the ILP were achieved, together we have to collect the necessary money to guarantee the continuity of Acció Cultural.