SCOTLAND'S human rights watchdog has reported concerns about Police Scotland's use of armed officers and stop and search to the United Nations.
The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) submitted its dossier, which also contains reservations on two key SNP Government justice policies, amid growing fears of an "illiberal" law-and-order agenda.
Liberal Democrat MSP Alison McIness said the UN referral was damning.
The UN is to review the United Kingdom's implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
As part of the process, the SHRC has submitted a list of issues, flagging up gaps and concerns in current policy in Scotland. Eighteen separate issues were raised for the UN's human rights committee.
At least two of the concerns relate to controversial policies adopted by Police Scotland, the country's new single force.
Scotland has the highest level of stop and search in the UK, with the number also estimated to be nine times greater than the rate of New York police.
Officers can either carry out statutory searches, which require reasonable suspicion, or non-statutory searches, which have no legal basis.
Of the 519,213 searches recorded between April and December 2013, more than 70% were not rooted in law.
In its submission, the SHRC focused on the volume of searches and noted that children had been frisked.
The watchdog has asked the UN to examine whether the scale of searches, "particularly non-statutory", comply with Article 9 of the Covenant, which deals with the right not to be "subjected to arbitrary detention".
The Scottish LibDems are also planning to table amendments to get rid of non-statutory searches.
In addition, the SHRC has flagged up concerns about police officers carrying firearms.
Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Stephen House is under fire after he put through changes allowing 275 specialist officers to carry handguns while on duty.
The policy mirrored previous practice in some of the old territorial forces, but the public was not consulted on a nationwide rollout.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was forced to defend the policy in Holyrood last week from attacks by angry MSPs.
In its submission, the SHRC recommended the UN ask about the accountability and safeguards for officers using guns and "electro-shock weapons", the formal term for Tasers.
The watchdog has also queried whether the Government's corroboration policy complies with Article 4 of the Covenant on the right to a fair trial.
In criminal cases, at least two different and independent sources of evidence are needed before an accused can be convicted of a crime.
However, MacAskill believes the requirement is outdated and has proposed the abolition of corroboration. The proposal has been put on hold pending further consultation.
The watchdog has recommended the UN asks about any safeguards that will be put in place if corroboration is removed.
Similarly, the SHRC has said the UN should investigate the SNP Government's legislation clamping down on sectarian-related behaviour at football matches.
The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2013 was intended to criminalise "threatening, hateful or otherwise offensive" actions at games.
However, critics believe the law undermines free speech as people have been charged for singing and chanting.
The UN has been urged to ask if any measures are in place to ensure the "restrictions" are "truly necessary in a democratic society".
Other issues reported to the UN relate to historic child abuse, legal aid changes, suicide, deaths in police custody and the age of criminal responsibility.
Although the policies relate to Scotland, it is believed the UN will initially contact the relevant member state, which in this case is the UK.
In practice, the UK Government is likely to refer the queries to bodies north of the border.
The SHRC started its work in 2008 and is funded by Holyrood's governing corporate body.
McIness said: "It is a significant development that Kenny MacAskill's bullish and illiberal approach to stop and search, scrapping corroboration, and armed police will now be reviewed on an international level because of concerns over the impact they will have on human rights.
"It is damning that the Justice Secretary's repeated dismissal of the real fears of people across Scotland has caused these controversial policies to be referred to the UN.
"Under the SNP government's direction, Scotland's once internationally respected liberal credentials have been tarnished."
Kath Murray, a doctoral researcher in stop and search at the University of Edinburgh, said: "This move is hardly surprising. International comparisons show that the use of stop and search in Scotland is hugely disproportionate and relies excessively on non-statutory stop and search.
"The police in Scotland have a wide range of statutory stop and search powers. There is no justification for searching people without lawful authority."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We value the input of the Scottish Human Rights Commission and look forward to providing the information which shows we have these measures in place.
"Earlier this week Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced that current policy on armed police remains under constant review by Police Scotland, and Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland will be participating in next month's review and publishing a report of its findings."
Whie the UN did not respond to a request for comment, a Police Scotland spokesman said: "This is a matter for the United Nations to comment on. We await any response from the UN before making a comment."
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