Anti-Chavez TV asks court to annul hefty fine

CARACAS, Venezuela

Lawyers representing an opposition-aligned television channel have urged Venezuela's Supreme Court to annul hefty fine imposed by the country's state broadcast regulator.

Representatives of Globovision say the fine is unjust and puts a huge financial strain on the station, which is the only Venezuelan TV channel that remains strongly critical of President Hugo Chavez.

Officials from the National Telecommunications Commission deny the fine was unfairly imposed or politically motivated.

Globovision's lawyers appealed the broadcast regulator's decision to impose the fine on Monday.

They were accompanied by a large crowd of opposition politicians, university students and government opponents who accuse Chavez of trying to silence his critics.