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| Brutality allegations against Maldives police raise concerns over links with UK | Brutality allegations against Maldives police raise concerns over links with UK |
| (4 months later) | |
| Senior members of a police service in south Asia that has been accused of persistent brutality and mass arrests against opposition politicians were trained in the UK, the Guardian can reveal. | Senior members of a police service in south Asia that has been accused of persistent brutality and mass arrests against opposition politicians were trained in the UK, the Guardian can reveal. |
| The Maldives police service (MPS) has been accused of using torture and sexual assault against detainees and acting against democracy activists and journalists after the Maldives' first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, was deposed in an alleged coup in February. | The Maldives police service (MPS) has been accused of using torture and sexual assault against detainees and acting against democracy activists and journalists after the Maldives' first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, was deposed in an alleged coup in February. |
| The Guardian has established that at least 77 senior Maldives police officers and commanders – including the current commissioner, Abdulla Riyaz – have been trained by the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan, in Fife, earning the college hundreds of thousands of pounds. | The Guardian has established that at least 77 senior Maldives police officers and commanders – including the current commissioner, Abdulla Riyaz – have been trained by the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan, in Fife, earning the college hundreds of thousands of pounds. |
| Opposition activists, Amnesty International and former senior Maldives officials said they had deep concerns about the UK's links with the MPS after scores of officers were accused of numerous breaches of human rights. | Opposition activists, Amnesty International and former senior Maldives officials said they had deep concerns about the UK's links with the MPS after scores of officers were accused of numerous breaches of human rights. |
| The Scottish Police College has an ongoing, open-ended contract to train the MPS on a diploma course for junior ranks, and to train middle and senior rank officers. It is expected to take a new batch next year. | The Scottish Police College has an ongoing, open-ended contract to train the MPS on a diploma course for junior ranks, and to train middle and senior rank officers. It is expected to take a new batch next year. |
| Some critics believe all training should be suspended until tough action is take to protect civil rights in Maldives. | Some critics believe all training should be suspended until tough action is take to protect civil rights in Maldives. |
| The allegations, documented by fact-finding missions by the UN committee on human rights, Amnesty, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the International Federation of Human Rights, and two official commissions in the Maldives, include sexual assaults against women detainees, torture, hospitalisation of protesters, and indiscriminate use of pepper spray against demonstrators by police. | The allegations, documented by fact-finding missions by the UN committee on human rights, Amnesty, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the International Federation of Human Rights, and two official commissions in the Maldives, include sexual assaults against women detainees, torture, hospitalisation of protesters, and indiscriminate use of pepper spray against demonstrators by police. |
| The Scottish Police College has run "police management" diplomas and other short training courses for the MPS since signing a contract with the force in January 2007, during the dictatorship of former president Mamoun Abdul Gayoom. | The Scottish Police College has run "police management" diplomas and other short training courses for the MPS since signing a contract with the force in January 2007, during the dictatorship of former president Mamoun Abdul Gayoom. |
| Part of the main diploma course – taken by 67 Maldives officers – included tuition in human rights and policing. | Part of the main diploma course – taken by 67 Maldives officers – included tuition in human rights and policing. |
| The contract is open-ended. Other courses are expected next year and the MPS is preparing to send one star recruit on his own "leadership development" scholarship to Tulliallan after he won an excellence award in early November. | The contract is open-ended. Other courses are expected next year and the MPS is preparing to send one star recruit on his own "leadership development" scholarship to Tulliallan after he won an excellence award in early November. |
| Senior sources in the Maldives, who have asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, allege that some MPS officers trained at Tulliallan have been implicated in the violence, with a number of incidents filmed. | Senior sources in the Maldives, who have asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, allege that some MPS officers trained at Tulliallan have been implicated in the violence, with a number of incidents filmed. |
| None of the MPS officers and commanders involved in the violence and abuses have been suspended or prosecuted, one former MPS commander told the Guardian. The MPS denied this, claiming 220 misconduct cases had been investigated, with 39 officers expelled from the force and six others demoted, and criminal proceedings started against 14 officers. | None of the MPS officers and commanders involved in the violence and abuses have been suspended or prosecuted, one former MPS commander told the Guardian. The MPS denied this, claiming 220 misconduct cases had been investigated, with 39 officers expelled from the force and six others demoted, and criminal proceedings started against 14 officers. |
| Alarmed by evidence that these abuses have sharply escalated since the alleged coup in February, international condemnation has intensified. The UK government, too, faces increased pressure to explain its dealings with the Maldives. | Alarmed by evidence that these abuses have sharply escalated since the alleged coup in February, international condemnation has intensified. The UK government, too, faces increased pressure to explain its dealings with the Maldives. |
| Following the Guardian investigation, politicians at Holyrood and Westminster are to press government ministers in both the Scottish and UK governments, including the Scottish justice secretary, Kenny MacAskill, and the UK foreign secretary, William Hague, to explain the police college's role with relation to the Maldives. | Following the Guardian investigation, politicians at Holyrood and Westminster are to press government ministers in both the Scottish and UK governments, including the Scottish justice secretary, Kenny MacAskill, and the UK foreign secretary, William Hague, to explain the police college's role with relation to the Maldives. |
| The Inter-Parliamentary Union, an affiliate of the UN set up to promote democracy, said it had firsthand evidence of human rights abuses against 19 opposition MPs including allegations of excessive violence, arbitrary arrests, intimidation and politically motivated criminal charges. | The Inter-Parliamentary Union, an affiliate of the UN set up to promote democracy, said it had firsthand evidence of human rights abuses against 19 opposition MPs including allegations of excessive violence, arbitrary arrests, intimidation and politically motivated criminal charges. |
| In late November, it registered its "deep concern that police officers using excessive force against MPs remain unpunished and that parliamentarians continue to be subjected to political and physical intimidation in the country". | In late November, it registered its "deep concern that police officers using excessive force against MPs remain unpunished and that parliamentarians continue to be subjected to political and physical intimidation in the country". |
| There is no suggestion that British police or retired officers have been involved in training the MPS in riot control or interrogation techniques, or are advising the MPS on public order policing. | There is no suggestion that British police or retired officers have been involved in training the MPS in riot control or interrogation techniques, or are advising the MPS on public order policing. |
| However, Farah Faizal, the former Maldives high commissioner to the UK, who resigned immediately after Nasheed stood down in February, said the close links between British police and the MPS had to be urgently reviewed. | However, Farah Faizal, the former Maldives high commissioner to the UK, who resigned immediately after Nasheed stood down in February, said the close links between British police and the MPS had to be urgently reviewed. |
| "What I can categorically say is that [the training] doesn't appear to be working," she said. "If you see the brutality which is going on in Maldives and the impunity with what's happening, if these people are being trained by the Scottish police, it's a waste of taxpayers' money. It's unacceptable." | "What I can categorically say is that [the training] doesn't appear to be working," she said. "If you see the brutality which is going on in Maldives and the impunity with what's happening, if these people are being trained by the Scottish police, it's a waste of taxpayers' money. It's unacceptable." |
| David Hardingham, director of the UK-based pro-democracy pressure group Friends of the Maldives, which is backed by celebrities such as Sir Richard Branson, whose Virgin group sells holidays in the Maldives,, said British training contracts should be immediatelysuspended. | David Hardingham, director of the UK-based pro-democracy pressure group Friends of the Maldives, which is backed by celebrities such as Sir Richard Branson, whose Virgin group sells holidays in the Maldives,, said British training contracts should be immediatelysuspended. |
| "Policing in the Maldives has a bloody and brutal record," Hardingham said. "Until this culture of brutality ends and a firm date is set for free and fair elections we urge the Scottish Police College to sever all ties with the MPS." | "Policing in the Maldives has a bloody and brutal record," Hardingham said. "Until this culture of brutality ends and a firm date is set for free and fair elections we urge the Scottish Police College to sever all ties with the MPS." |
| Abbas Faiz, the South Asia researcher for Amnesty International and author of its report, The Other Side of Paradise, said the UK police had to insist on proper enforcement of human rights within the MPS as a condition of their training contracts. | Abbas Faiz, the South Asia researcher for Amnesty International and author of its report, The Other Side of Paradise, said the UK police had to insist on proper enforcement of human rights within the MPS as a condition of their training contracts. |
| "So far, these violations have not stopped," he said. "It is difficult to see how the training the Maldives police have received has helped. The onus is on the Scottish police and the UK authorities to show how their training does not contribute to the pattern of human rights violations that we are witnessing." | "So far, these violations have not stopped," he said. "It is difficult to see how the training the Maldives police have received has helped. The onus is on the Scottish police and the UK authorities to show how their training does not contribute to the pattern of human rights violations that we are witnessing." |
| The Foreign Office defended the UK's record in the Maldives but admitted it was concerned by the surge in violence since the political crisis in February. It has been pressuring the current president, Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik, a close ally of Gayoom, to take decisive action. | The Foreign Office defended the UK's record in the Maldives but admitted it was concerned by the surge in violence since the political crisis in February. It has been pressuring the current president, Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik, a close ally of Gayoom, to take decisive action. |
| "We have serious concerns about allegations of police brutality in Maldives, especially in February 2012," a Foreign Office spokeswoman told the Guardian. "We have privately and publicly urged the Maldivian government to fully investigate all allegations and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice. We have also called on all parties to ensure institutional reforms are put in place to consolidate democracy and further protect human rights in Maldives. | "We have serious concerns about allegations of police brutality in Maldives, especially in February 2012," a Foreign Office spokeswoman told the Guardian. "We have privately and publicly urged the Maldivian government to fully investigate all allegations and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice. We have also called on all parties to ensure institutional reforms are put in place to consolidate democracy and further protect human rights in Maldives. |
| "We judge that the work we are supporting [will] have a positive impact on police performance, in the interests of the Maldivian people. Our assessment is that engagement in the right areas will be more beneficial than none at all." | "We judge that the work we are supporting [will] have a positive impact on police performance, in the interests of the Maldivian people. Our assessment is that engagement in the right areas will be more beneficial than none at all." |
| The college and Foreign Office have said the training courses were helping to improve policing in the Maldives, by increasing their professional standards and accountability. It said the UK was also supporting other work by the UN "to strengthen police disciplinary mechanisms in line with international standards to improve human rights". | The college and Foreign Office have said the training courses were helping to improve policing in the Maldives, by increasing their professional standards and accountability. It said the UK was also supporting other work by the UN "to strengthen police disciplinary mechanisms in line with international standards to improve human rights". |
| The MPS told the Guardian it took its obligations seriously, and was implementing the reforms recommended by British advisers, as well as consultants from Canada and Australia. It had an internal professional standards command starting a new project to increase "public confidence in police through increased service quality, transparency and accountability". | The MPS told the Guardian it took its obligations seriously, and was implementing the reforms recommended by British advisers, as well as consultants from Canada and Australia. It had an internal professional standards command starting a new project to increase "public confidence in police through increased service quality, transparency and accountability". |
| An MPS spokesman, Superintendent Abdul Mannan, said: "On one hand calling for MPS to be more efficient in dealing with officers' misconduct and violation of human rights, and on the other calling to suspend all the assistance MPS receives to achieve this, contradicts their [critics] known intention and their actions." | An MPS spokesman, Superintendent Abdul Mannan, said: "On one hand calling for MPS to be more efficient in dealing with officers' misconduct and violation of human rights, and on the other calling to suspend all the assistance MPS receives to achieve this, contradicts their [critics] known intention and their actions." |
| A police college spokeswoman said it had no influence over the MPS after its officers' training courses had finished: that was the responsibility of British diplomats. But she said college staff had been impressed by the "hard work and endeavour" of MPS officers, who achieved high pass rates. | A police college spokeswoman said it had no influence over the MPS after its officers' training courses had finished: that was the responsibility of British diplomats. But she said college staff had been impressed by the "hard work and endeavour" of MPS officers, who achieved high pass rates. |
| John Geates, the interim chief executive of the Scottish Police Services Authority, which runs the college, said: "We believe that sharing our wealth of experience and expertise is a positive way of contributing to the development and delivery of fair and effective policing across the world. | John Geates, the interim chief executive of the Scottish Police Services Authority, which runs the college, said: "We believe that sharing our wealth of experience and expertise is a positive way of contributing to the development and delivery of fair and effective policing across the world. |
| "We are passionate about showing other police forces how to deliver community policing by consent which, by its nature, means the college does not work with western democracies where that culture and ethos already exists." | "We are passionate about showing other police forces how to deliver community policing by consent which, by its nature, means the college does not work with western democracies where that culture and ethos already exists." |
| The Foreign Office confirmed that the UK high commission in Sri Lanka had partly funded the Scottish Police College's training programmes for the Maldives for the first time last year. | The Foreign Office confirmed that the UK high commission in Sri Lanka had partly funded the Scottish Police College's training programmes for the Maldives for the first time last year. |
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