Arabic version: شرطة تسمانيا توقف إرسال رسائل إلى مشتبه في تبنيهم فكر «المواطنين السياديين»

According to ABC News, Tasmania Police stopped sending letters to firearm licence holders suspected of aligning with sovereign citizen ideology after Assistant Commissioner Doug Oosterloo raised concerns about risks to officers.

Documents released through Tasmania’s right to information system showed that at least four letters were sent in November last year. The letters asked existing licence holders and an applicant to confirm or deny whether they aligned with sovereign citizen ideology, and said police would further consider their licence application or retention after receiving a response.

Mr Oosterloo later sought a briefing from Firearms Services, questioning how people had been identified, the legislative authority for suspending a licence on that basis, and whether advice had been sought before action was taken. He warned that a police visit could be seen as an attempt to take firearms and could increase risks to officers.

Tasmania Police said some licence holders were visited and a small number of licences were temporarily suspended where there were credible safety concerns. It said no licences had been cancelled solely because a person was suspected of holding sovereign citizen views.

Police now assess each case individually with input from officers and intelligence analysts, and have introduced mandatory training to help officers identify relevant behaviours. Police Association President Shane Tilley welcomed the end of the letters program, while Australian Lawyers’ Alliance spokesman Greg Barns SC warned against targeting people on the basis of membership of a movement that is not proscribed or banned.