The International Truth and Justice Project - Police Scotland halt Sri Lankan Police Training

Since July we have been working with the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), an impressive international, non-profit human rights organisation that has been working since 2013 to protect and promote justice and accountability in Sri Lanka on behalf of victims.

Following campaigning from the ITJP, the Scottish Police announced in November that they will stop the training and funding of the police and security forces in Sri Lanka. This is a huge victory for those who have called for a review of the training in light of credible allegations of ongoing torture and international concerns. It is also a huge boost for the victims, some of whom now live in Scotland. Since 2010, the UK government has spent millions of pounds of taxpayer's money on training the Sri Lankan police.

ITJP director Frances Harrison said in a powerful interview for The Sunday Post: "The Sri Lankans boast about their Police Scotland training. They use it to bolster their credibility and whitewash the torture and abuses going on in the country."

This is one survivor's response to the news: "It made me feel Scotland was concerned about us and we hope other countries – like Australia – will follow suit." Media relating to this story ran extensively across English and international outlets with a number of Scottish Members of Parliament engaging in the debate.