UK-based Santander Bank refused service to Azita Stratford, because she was born in Iran.
MOSCOW, November 16 (Sputnik) Azita Stratford was refused a savings account application atSantander Bank inBritaindue toher ethnic background Stratfrod was born inIran, the Sunday Times reported.
Stratford has been a British citizen for20 years. Yet, when she came tofile inan application toopen a savings account, bank officials told her she could not because Stratford was born inIran. Stratford is a former teacher, who lives inBrighton withher British husband.
Following Stratfords complaint, the banks manager told her sinceIranwas now classified asa high-risk country, the bank would not be able toprovide any banking services forher.
This is obviousracial discrimination. It should not matter where I am from. I have opened several savings accounts withSantader beforeand my circumstances havent changed. Am I somehow higher risk thanI was a year ago? said the 50-year old Brighton resident, asquoted bythe Sunday Times.
Britain has had a rise inanti-Muslim sentiments asof late, Canadian CBC News said.