NatWest 'freezes Russian channel's UK bank accounts'

NatWest 'freezes Russian channel's UK bank accounts'

Postby dutchman » Mon Oct 17, 2016 3:33 pm

NatWest bank has frozen the accounts of Russia's state-run broadcaster RT, its editor-in-chief says.


Margarita Simonyan tweeted: "They've closed our accounts in Britain. All our accounts. 'The decision is not subject to review.' Praise be to freedom of speech!"

RT says the bank gave no explanation for its decision.

It said the entire Royal Bank of Scotland Group, of which NatWest is part, was refusing to service RT.

The broadcaster, previously known as Russia Today, says NatWest wrote to its London office saying: "We have recently undertaken a review of your banking arrangements with us and reached the conclusion that we will no longer provide these facilities."

The bank said its decision was final and it is "not prepared to enter into any discussion."

A letter posted online by the channel appears to show that the freeze is not in effect yet. It warns that banking facilities will be "cancelled and closed" on 12 December.

Ms Simonyan said the closure included the personal accounts of some senior RT staff working in the UK.

She told Russian state media: "They haven't explained the reasons and I think they can't explain them because there can't be any reasons. We have an absolutely transparent operation there, absolutely transparent funding. There have never been any complaints in this regard at all.

"They have failed to defeat us by simply vilifying us, by picking on our broadcast, so they decided to try the banking flank: 'Try broadcasting when all your accounts have been closed.' Yet we will try."

:bbc_news:


Max Keiser will have a field day with this! :yellow_grin:
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Re: NatWest 'freezes Russian channel's UK bank accounts'

Postby rebbonk » Mon Oct 17, 2016 4:56 pm

This type of thing worries me.

There is a drive to force all of us to go cashless; if we were to, this type of decision could be catastrophic.

As regards this particular decision, I expect the publicity will do the bank no harm: especially from those that are incapable of seeing behind the headlines.
Of course it'll fit; you just need a bigger hammer.
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Re: NatWest 'freezes Russian channel's UK bank accounts'

Postby dutchman » Mon Oct 17, 2016 5:20 pm

Why was the video removed? It was posted on the official RT YouTube channel and can still be viewed here:

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