Police Scotland has been criticised for training officers from Hong Kong’s “brutal” and “aggressive” law enforcement regime.
Senior members of the Chinese city’s police force attended the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan Castle in Alloa. They took part in leadership courses, according to official documents.
The disclosure emerged as police authorities in the former British colony face fresh international criticism.
In the US State Department’s annual report on civil liberties in China, Macau and Hong Kong, it said that “significant human rights issues included police brutality against protesters and persons in custody”.
Hong Kong authorities hit back, claiming officers had done their duty in restoring “law and order” following anti-Beijing government protests.
Last year, Amnesty International said it had found an alarming pattern of aggression by the Hong Kong
Police Force.
The human rights group said police used “reckless and indiscriminate tactics, including violence while arresting people at protests, evidence of torture and other ill-treatment in detention”.
Naomi McAuliffe, Amnesty International’s Scotland programme director, said: “Policing, prisons and other security sectors are rife with abuse in numerous countries.
We have repeatedly called upon Police Scotland to conduct robust human rights impact assessments on all their overseas training.”
Trouble in the region erupted last summer after an extradition bill was put forward that would see suspects and criminals sent from the city-state to the mainland.
Protesters claimed Hong Kong citizens could be exposed to unfair trials and torture.
The bill was eventually withdrawn after up to one million people took to the streets in mostly peaceful demonstrations.
But the rallies descended into violence when people were targeted by riot police wielding tear gas and batons.
Hong Kong officers attended the college between 2013 and 2016.
Scottish Greens justice brief John Finnie MSP said: “In recent months, we’ve all seen footage from Hong Kong which suggests police there are nothing more than uniformed thugs, sent out to violently enforce the will of an oppressive and undemocratic regime.
“I’m sure the chief constable would agree it is inappropriate for Police Scotland to have links with a force that shows such blatant disregard for human rights.”
Superintendent John Wyllie, who leads Police Scotland’s International Development Unit, said: “All of our international training and development activities support the UK and Scottish Government international development policies and objectives.
“Our international training is subject to rigorous security and human rights assessment, with the ultimate aim of promoting public service, developing safer communities and human rights compliance.”
