Bank Account of Russian TV Network 'RT' Blocked in Britain

The Russian television network 'RT' announced on Monday, October 18, that the British bank 'NatWest' has blocked the bank accounts of this Russian media organization without any explanation. Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of this government-affiliated television network, tweeted: 'They have blocked all our accounts in Britain. And this decision, according to them, is not subject to review. Long live freedom of expression!' According to the Associated Press, 'RT' has published evidence that appears to be a letter from the British bank 'NatWest', which states, 'We have recently reviewed your banking arrangements and have concluded that we will no longer provide you with banking services.' Neither the Royal Bank of Scotland group, which owns NatWest, nor the UK Treasury has commented on this decision. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson stated on Sunday that he intends to increase pressure on Moscow due to Russia's military operations in Syria. According to Reuters, NatWest's letter indicates that this decision is final and non-negotiable. The letter specifies that 'RT' accounts will be closed from December 12. This action will make the operations of this Russian network in Britain more difficult. 'RT' always invites guests who criticize Western policies while reflecting the views of the Russian government in its programs. Margarita Simonyan reacted by saying she does not exactly know the motivation behind this action, but it seems to be part of sanctions or new pressures from the British government against Russia. Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, also stated on Monday that it seems Britain has abandoned its commitment to freedom of expression. She wrote on her Facebook page: 'It seems that Britain has left its commitment to freedom of expression in Europe with its exit from the European Union.' Relations between Russia and Britain have soured due to the crises in Ukraine and Syria, and Boris Johnson has provoked Moscow's anger by inviting people to protest against the bombing of Aleppo in front of the Russian embassy in London. Ofcom, the independent media regulator in Britain, has previously criticized 'RT' for biased coverage of the Ukraine and Syria crises, stating that it violates British broadcasting standards. Last year, the British bank Barclays also blocked the bank accounts of the state news agency 'Rossiya Segodnya'. Dmitry Kiselev, the director of this news agency, is on the EU sanctions list against Russia, imposed since 2014 due to the annexation of Crimea and Russia's involvement in eastern Ukraine. 'RT' stated that this letter was sent to its office in London and described it as 'very vague and very British'. Margarita Simonyan said she has no information or idea about the motivation behind this action. According to her, 'RT' has been a customer of NatWest for ten years, and throughout this time, the accounts of this network and its financial activities have been completely transparent. She noted that NatWest's decision also includes the personal accounts of senior employees of this network working in Britain. 'RT' operates to cover audiences in Europe and America, broadcasting 24-hour programs in English, Arabic, and Spanish. One of its programs, called 'RT Britain', is broadcast from London.