Press TV Ltd. accounts blocked in UK

...The UK's National Westminster (NatWest) Bank has frozen the accounts of Press TV Ltd, a London-based independent television production company.

Press TV Limited in London was incorporated to produce news, factual programmes and documentaries to be sold to the Tehran-based Press TV News Channel.

Press TV Ltd officials confirm that NatWest, in its letter of December 7, 2010, announced its closure of Press TV Ltd's bank accounts stating that NatWest has refused to explain the reasons behind this.
“To this date, Natwest has neither given a reason nor an explanation for freezing our accounts. Its letter had not provided any contact names, contact telephone numbers or email addresses. Despite our persistent letters, emails, phone calls and text messages to individuals with whom we had previously corresponded, Natwest has not even made an attempt at a response. It should be noted that it was not Press TV Ltd that initially approached Natwest for business. Rather it was Natwest that sought business with Press TV Ltd with open arms and a big welcome.”

A Press TV Ltd reporter contacted NatWest to find an explanation for the abrupt freezing of the accounts and the prolonged nature of the freeze. But NatWest simply passed him onto the Royal Bank of Scotland, an unnamed spokesperson for which simply replied, “All customer relationships are subject to ongoing reviews, which take a range of factors into account and which may result in us deciding to stop providing banking facilities to a customer.”

NatWest, part of the British state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland Group, has blocked around £200,000 of Press TV Ltd’s sales income in Pounds, Euros and Dollars without reason or explanation.

Press TV Ltd argues that it works within the framework of the Law and has trained journalists, cameramen, editors and assistant producers, some of which were later recruited by other networks, such as the BBC, CNN and Sky. It says that it has provided work, job opportunities, training and income for tens of companies and hundreds of individuals, all of whom contribute to the UK via all the various taxes.

At a time when the British economy is suffering from a shock contraction, its citizens face severe unemployment and its future university students face bleak prospects, companies such as Press TV Ltd in London should probably be supported rather than attacked.

Press TV Ltd says it is appalled by Natwest’s decision, “We entered into a commercial agreement with Natwest, not a political one. However, when we witness the violent attacks on our Satellite Van, our vehicles, our cameramen and our equipment, the recent demonization campaign by the BBC and ITN of Ken Livingstone, and the threats to our presenters, such as George Galloway in the Houses of Parliament, and the death threats to our colleagues, the detention and imprisonment of our British reporter and the theft of our equipment by Israel in international waters, with the British Government not showing any reaction to any of the above incidents, it is reasonable for us to question their position, particularly following the Wikileak Cable in the Guardian about Her Majesty’s Government’s alleged intentions to close down Press TV Ltd.”

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