By James Simons-

NatWest Bank accounts for RT in the UK have been blocked, according to their chief editor, Margarita Simonyan.

According to the broadcasters, no explanation has been given for the decision, which was stated to have been given after careful consideration.  In  a letter from Natwest to the Russian network, the decision was reached after ”careful consideration’‘, and the bank stated in no uncertain terms that they are not ”prepared to enter into any discussion in relation to it.

The National Westminster bank informed RT that it was not prepared to enter any discussion in relation to the issue. The letter stated ” We have recently undertaken a review of your banking arrangements with us and reached the conclusion that we will no longer provide these facilities. You will therefore need to make alternative arrangements outside of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group”, the letter read. The bank will withdraw your card facility one month from the date of this letter, meaning that on 14 November 2016, the card facility must have been repaid in full”.

The broadcaster suggested that the decision may be related to the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, as it abandons ”all commitments to the freedom of speech’. A press statement from RT read:

”This decision is incomprehensible, and without warning. It is however not at odds with the countless measures that have been taken in the UK and Europe over the last few years to ostracize, shut down, or downright impede the work of RT. RT UK will continue its operations uninterrupted”.  Precisely what countless measures constitute  the efforts to ostracize or shut down the work of RT was not stated.

BIASED DECISION

The decision  by Natwest may be based on alleged biased reporting by the Russian online and television network.  However, this would truly run counter to the freedom of expression guaranteed in the Human Rights Act, which will not be expected to be compromised even with the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. However, this may run deeper than just issues of biased reporting and depend how far any alleged bias goes to impacting other situations.  Allegations of biased reporting is a value judgement which will depend on the facts of the reporting in question.

Rt has been sanctioned for biased reporting in the past. This included a claim that the BBC ”staged” a chemical weapons attack for a news report in Syria.  The BBC later won a case against RT following a complain to Ofcom claiming that allegations made in a programme called ”The ”Truthseeker” were false and struck at the heart of its obligations to accuracy and impartiality. Aspects of Ofcom’s ruling stated that elements of the programme were ”

materially misleading”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated the decision indicated that ”Britain on its way out of the EU abandoned all its commitment to freedom of speech”. The implication of this statement is that RT coverage of news lies behind the reason of NatWest’s decision. However, it goes to show a further strain in the relationship between the West and Russia. It is very worrying that tensions have risen this high, though it is more important to understand the precise reason NatWest has taken this decision without providing an explanation.

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• Date
  17th October 2016