AMAZON sacked a GMB member after he alleged that it had sold facial recognition software that helped Russia in the Ukraine war, an employment tribunal heard today.

Charles Forrest, a former senior account manager at the British branch of Amazon Web Services, Emea Sarl, is suing more than a dozen individuals over unfair dismissal and disability discrimination.

He alleges that he was fired for blowing the whistle on the company’s alleged sale of its Rekognition facial recognition software to VisionLabs, a company owned by Russian telecommunications business MTS.

The online retail and cloud computing giant has denied the allegations, saying that he was dismissed for gross misconduct in 2023.

Mr Forrest launched his case yesterday after a High Court judge overruled a court decision to dismiss his claims last October.

He is representing himself but his union GMB said it was “watching the tribunal carefully.”

GMB regional organiser Steve Garelick said: “Up and down the country, Amazon is a terrible employer.

“We know from experience that [the firm is] quick to intimidate members involved with trade unions.

“We will be watching the outcome of this tribunal carefully and applaud Mr Forrest for taking on Amazon.”

Civil liberty campaigners have raised concerns over the police use of Amazon’s facial recognition software.

The Met Police said it arrested more than 500 suspects in London last year using Live Facial Recognition technology.

It is not suggested that the technology was Amazon’s.

In response to a 2022 freedom of information request, which asked if the force has Amazon contracts, it cited national security grounds to neither confirm or deny “any information relating to any possible covert practice of facial recognition.”  

Amazon was contacted for comment.