Regional Seminar – The UNCAT: Building robust Preventive Frameworks in the Asia-Pacific

Building on previous Seminars and dialogues organized for South-East Asian, ASEAN and the Pacific States, CTI, in partnership and collaboration with the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR), the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) and other relevant stakeholders, will be organizing a regional seminar for the Asia-Pacific States focused on UNCAT ratification and effective legislative anti-torture frameworks, legal and procedural safeguards against torture in custodial settings, as well investigative interviewing techniques as a key tool for the prevention of torture and other ill-treatment in the criminal justice system. A particular focus will be put on the necessary next steps for the future institutionalization of investigative interviewing on the national level in Indonesia and other countries in the region. The regional seminar will be hosted by the Government of Indonesia as a CTI Core State and will be held online via Zoom and in-person in Bali on 20 – 22 April 2022.

Following up on previous CTI seminars held for South-East Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific region, the objectives of the seminar are to:

•           Promote full regional ratification of UNCAT as a key tool for States to eradicate torture and other ill-treatment, including by sharing new developments, positive practices and results in the fight against torture on issues such as ratification processes and the development of effective anti-torture frameworks;

•           Improve the understanding and promote the benefits of non-coercive, effective and human rights compliant interviewing techniques in criminal investigations and the implementation of legal and procedural safeguards in custodial settings for the prevention of torture, through sharing of promising State practices from the region;

•           Foster exchanges and identify concrete proposals for the way forward to reaching UNCAT universality in the region and the effective implementation of preventive measures discussed during the Seminar.

The Seminar aims to bring together representatives from approximately 30 countries, including Ministerial-level participants, plus other senior government representatives from the police or other law enforcement agencies, Attorney General’s Office/Ministry of Justice, Prosecutor’s Office, human rights and other related ministries as well as NHRIs from the Asia-Pacific region.

The event is by invitation only.