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National Preventive Mechanismin Poland
Setting - up
8. 07. 2005 – OPCAT Ratification
18. 01. 2008 – Human Rights Defender as NPM
Why Human Rights Defender?
Not to assign the same competences to several institutions
Cost saving
Independence of HRD
Difficulties
Lack of financial independence
multi – faceted character of HRD activity
Complaints concering NPM’s activity
1800 establishments to visit – 8 people
Organization
1 team
8 people
Support team
Methodology of the visit
Reasons for unannounced visits to places of detention
are more effective,allow to detect actual problems of the visited
establishment,express the actual state of observance of
rights of persons deprived of liberty.
Preparing the visit
Establishing the composition of the visiting team- interdisciplinarity requirement - gender balance - nominating the coordinator of the team - the division of
tasks Gathering information on the establishment
- reports from previous visits - reports of international (e.g. Committee for the Prevention of Torture), national (e.g. Supreme Control Chamber) and non-government organisations - generally available information, e.g. official websites - the number of complaints or lack of complaints
The visit
Preliminary talk with the director Viewing the establishment and the facilitiesGroup and individual interviews with the
detaineesInterviews with the staff of the establishment
(tutor, psychologist)Documentation analysisSumming-up conversation with the director
Preliminary talk with the director
Presenting the schedule of the visit and the methodology to be employed, deciding on the place where the team will meet during the visit
Getting preliminary information, e.g. on extraordinary incidents, cases of self-aggression, as well as disciplinary and court proceedings against the officers
Signalling the summing-up conversation
Viewing the establishment and the facilities
compliance with the binding norms of national and international law
premises – dormitories, transition wards, common rooms, walking grounds and sport grounds, rooms where personal control is carried out, visiting facilities, bathrooms, sick rooms, isolation wards, kitchens, etc.
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Piąty poziom konspektu Szósty poziom konspektu Siódmy poziom konspektu Ósmy poziom konspektu
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Trzeci poziom Czwarty poziom
Piąty poziom
Group and individual interviews with the detainees
Individual interviews
Random selection Avoiding making interviews solely with
persons volunteering to be interviewed Choice of location – neutrality
Group and individual interviews with the detainees
earning trust highlighting the confidential and voluntary
nature of the interviewcheck-list – a useful interview tool open questions, e.g. describe your daily
routine in the establishment
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Trzeci poziom konspektuCzwarty poziom konspektu
Piąty poziom konspektu Szósty poziom konspektu Siódmy poziom konspektu Ósmy poziom konspektu
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Trzeci poziom Czwarty poziom
Piąty poziom
Group and individual interviews with the detainees
Group interviews
spontaneous talks during the inspection of the living wards
the way of selecting the respondenthelpful in defining common problems,
in getting to know the specific character of the place
Interviews with the staff of the establishment
tutors, psychologists, security officersopportunity to verify certain information
obtained from the detaineeslearning the point of view of the staff
Documentation analysis
Documentation made available on the site register of disciplinary punishment, register of complaints made by persons deprived
of liberty register of the use of direct coercive measures
Documentation made available for post-visit analysis: internal rules and regulations procedures followed in case of revolt, reports carried out by other authorities
Summing-up conversation with the director
preparing for the conversation
- meeting of the visiting team
- exchanging information
- formulating major observations launching a dialogue with the management
of the establishment – reporting the initial findings
informing about the post-visit report
Post-visit reports
composition of the team, date of the visitgeneral description of the establishmentdetailed themes of the visit (living conditions, food,
medical care, treatment of the detainees, penitentiary work, employment, cultural and educational activity, correspondence, visits, religious services)
documentation analysis conclusions and recommendations
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Piąty poziom konspektu Szósty poziom konspektu Siódmy poziom konspektu Ósmy poziom konspektu
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Piąty poziom
Post-visit reports
Recommendations
suggesting solutions to the existing problems, e.g. ensuring that persons who have direct contact with the detainees, especially ward supervisors, get adequate training and support, to eliminate cases of ill-treatment of detainees
ordering the recommendations depending on the weight and significance of the identified problem
Post-visit reports
Addressees:
- management of the establishment
- supervisory bodies
- judge supervising the unit
- chief chaplain
- non-government organisations (Agreement on the Implementation of OPCAT, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights)
Verifying how the recommendations are implemented
Awaiting the reply from the addressees of recommendations (about one month)
Exchange of correspondence with the management of the establishment (and with its supervisory bodies, if necessary)
Ad-hoc visits
Examples of violations
Sobering station – behaviour of the staffRooms with transparent walls in psychiatric
hospitalYouth sociotherapy center – punishmentOverpopulation in penal institution
Outcome of NPM activity
Rasied human rights awarness of the societyConferences invitation Dialogue with persons in charge of places of
detentionMotions to State bodies and Constitutional
Tribunal
Thank you for your attention
Sources:Report of the Human Rights Defender on the Activities of the National PreventiveMechanism in Poland in 2009, Human Rights Defender Office, Warsaw 2010 Monitoring Places of Detention: a practical guide, APT Geneva 2004Photographs used in the presentation come from www.google.pl