Law firm Blackstone takes on RBS over Iranian accounts axe

ROYAL Bank of Scotland and its subsidiary NatWest are facing allegations of racism after telling customers of Iranian descent it is closing their accounts and withdrawing facilities.

North West law firm, Blackstone Solicitors, which is acting for a number of individuals  is taking legal action against the bank on the grounds it has breached the Equality Act.

Managing director Emma Nawaz believes RBS’s actions relate to a $100m (£61m) fine levied on RBS Group in the US over trade sanction breaches in countries including Iran.

Mrs Nawaz is acting for a “growing number” of individuals based in the North West and in the London area, who received letters from RBS and NatWest last week, advising them that their accounts will be closed in 60 days.

Among the cases she is handling is a nine-year-old girl, who has been Emma Nawazinformed that her account is being shut down.

She said: “We have had numerous clients contacting us in utter panic. If banks will not provide banking facilities to those citizens of Iranian heritage, they will not have anywhere to pay their salaries into or pay bills from; their lives will be made intolerable in the UK.

“This is ethnic profiling in the UK. These ordinary people who contribute to society are becoming victims of racism by high street banks.”

Hale-based Blackstone Solicitors has issued an application for an interim injunction preventing the banks from withdrawing banking facilities and are pursuing them in respect of their discrimination against UK residents on the basis of their heritage.
 
A hearing will take place at the County Court at the Civil Justice Centre in Manchester on Friday, December 20.

An RBS spokesperson said: “We are required to comply with our regulatory obligations and are unable to comment on decisions made in relation to individual accounts.

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