The APT undertook a two-week long mission to Central Asia in February 2007 with a view to raising awareness among national actors of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture. The mission to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan was supported by the OHCHR. The APT met government, non-government and ombudsmen representatives to discuss the issue as well as to distribute related informational materials. In all three countries a range of government representatives stated that they saw no real obstacles preventing them from signing and ratifying the instrument, although civil society representatives appeared much more circumspect. The APT is currently in the process of drafting a report of the mission, which will propose various activities to further promote the instrument in the Central Asia region.
