A senior SNP party figure has demanded a halt to any publication of private messages sought by Holyrood's Alex Salmond inquiry.
Susan Ruddick, the SNP chief operating officer, said she was the subject of "bullying and intimidation".
The committee of MSPs wanted to obtain documents detailing communications between Ruddick and Scottish government ministers, civil servants or special advisers between August 2018 and January 2019. They wanted to see if any were relevant to the inquiry on the botched probe into harassment complaints against Salmond when he was First Minister.
In a press statement issued on Monday, Ruddick stated: "It would be nothing short of astonishing if, as media reports suggest, the committee intends to discuss or seek production of further messages, despite the clear and obvious breach of my privacy rights, notwithstanding the further distress that would involve.
"For several months, I have faced repeated breaches of my privacy through the selective leaking of parts of confidential messages, without any context, yet no action has been taken against those responsible."
The statement was issued as Peter Murrell, the chief executive of the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, was being recalled to the committee and cross-examined on messages he sent related to their probe.
Ruddick stated: “Publication and discussion of private messages relating to a police complaint are outwith the Committee’s remit, and offering support to a friend and complainer is not a conspiracy.
"It is, however, a complete invasion of my privacy and has already led to further distress to the other women involved in complaints against Mr Salmond, and those we turned to for support. In my case, this included Peter Murrell."
She added: “The bullying and intimidation of complainers through use of their private and personal communications must end now."
A group of women who discussed allegations against Alex Salmond have previously criticised the Crown Office and MSPs after their private messages about the case were released to the Scottish Parliament. Salmond was cleared of all allegations at a trial last year.
MSPs are looking into the separate government investigation of allegations made against Salmond. He pursued a judicial review and it was accepted the internal government probe had been unlawful and tainted by apparent bias.
The women said releasing the texts could have “grave consequences” for future victims of alleged sexual violence if people feared their private correspondence could be disclosed.
The messages were released last Friday to MSPs looking into the Scottish government’s botched investigation into claims Salmond had sexually harassed two officials after Holyrood issued an unprecedented legal order demanding they were disclosed.
Ruddick stated: "The messages confirmed there was no conspiracy. Having read those messages, the Committee stated its desire to avoid further distress to complainers, yet just a few days later, considers it proportionate to act on my private communications, against my express wishes, when they have been unlawfully obtained and produced."
She added: "Private communications between myself and Mr Murrell are in no way relevant to this Committee’s remit. I am not a Government employee and had no role in the complaints process of the Scottish Government."
