Question reference: S6W-08321
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 3 May 2022
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Current status: Answered by Keith Brown on 12 May 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding ending its training of the National Police of Colombia in light of (a) the reported crackdown on protesters in Colombia in spring 2021 and (b) an Amnesty International report that stated that the protestors had faced intentional police violence.
Answer
The Scottish Government supports Police Scotland’s international activity which involves reaching out to all parts of the world, including Colombia. This activity supports the prevention of crime at source and ensures the sharing of best practice in policing in order to help the stabilisation of communities beyond our borders. All Police Scotland activity is underpinned by a human rights-based approach which has a strong focus on community engagement. Central to that is an emphasis on de-escalating conflict and ensuring that the right to protest can be freely and peacefully exercised.