It's very common for Venezuelan, Iranian and Cuban citizens to be targeted in this way, however. Even those with dual nationality.
The fundamental problem is that bank accounts are not considered a human right. As we become increasingly cashless this becomes more and more of a problem.
It’s not the same but it’s on its way there - in New Zealand Nicky Hagar wrote Dirty Politics - shady deals and hatchet jobs being performed by a sleazy blog at the behest of politicians (primarily the current leader of New Zealand’s largest opposition party, Judith Collins).
Under political pressure to act, police asked Westpac bank for 10 months of Hager's bank records and received them, falsely claiming he was being investigated for fraud. They did not have a warrant.
The whole disgusting episode was made farcical by the later revelation that police had searched Hagars house but missed documents leaked by Snowden.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-pay-nicky-hager-substan...
Founder's family has also been blacklisted, because apparently they are guilty by association.
Yes, but to be fair that can just as easily be because as soon as you earn enough reputation as a dissident you are buried (metaphorically! Western Europe is very velvet glove when it comes to murder).
People shape their opinion around the perceived space of possibilities. Good luck sustaining outrage on the long term against an enemy who can incentivize friendly public discourse with tangible rewards.
Now this rogue nation state targets your landlords, your water company, your kids' school. How much can you route around or DIY before you're a prisoner?
The fix has to be other countries pushing back, ensuring freedom.
> Now this rogue nation state targets your landlords, your water company, your kids' school.
Without access to money you can't get any of these things. With cash, you can manage to find lodging, food and education for your kids.
I'm not saying it's worthless, it's far better than nothing, but you're still a prisoner if you're being denied mainstream staples like banking.
There are many European political dissidents here that had dozens of bank accounts canceled on them. Sometimes the only way to have a bank account after reaching a certain level of popularity is to bank in countries like Georgia, Bulgaria etc. where nobody has heard of you. Until they, too, cancel your account and you're unbanked again and unable to participate in a modern economy.
IMO the only way out of this kind of oppression is crypto, at least in the long term.