Question reference: S5W-34895
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 2 February 2021
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Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 11 February 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the recent reported attempts by Sri Lanka's police to try to stop the Tamil journalist, Punniamurthy Sasiharan, of Mamangam, Batticaloa, from covering a protest raises any concerns for it in relation to Police Scotland's provision of community training for Sri Lankan police officers, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
The current training programme provided by Police Scotland in Sri Lanka focuses on improving community policing and gender equality. All training is underpinned by the aim of upholding and improving human rights and all Police Scotland’s activities with the Sri Lanka Police Service are authorised in advance by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
The programme is currently suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic and Police Scotland will re-evaluate delivery of the programme when restrictions on foreign travel are lifted. It is a matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland to agree the details of any training programme in Sri Lanka, and Scottish Government ministers would also consider requests for further deployments of officers, taking into consideration a range of issues, including an examination of human rights implications.