general observations in connection with inspections 27 the situation for this group of detainees. In 2015, the thematic direction of the OPCAT unit was female inmates in the prison service (see also Section 4). A total of 18 inspections of remand prisons and establishments were carried out during 2015–2017. Several of these were follow-ups to earlier inspections.14 Isolation of persons held on remand A basic right for those held on remand and who have no restrictions imposed by the prosecutor is that they be given the opportunity to spend time with other detainees (association). Spending time with other detainees fulfils an important function in preventing the negative consequences that being deprived of one’s liberty could have for an individual. The Prison and Probation Service may, however, decide under certain restrictions established in law, that a detainees should be kept separated from other detainees, where this is deemed necessary for reasons of safety. A prosecutor may be given permission by a court to impose restrictions on those on remand. These restrictions could mean that a person on remand is not allowed to spend time with other detainees. For a relatively long period of time (since the beginning of the 90s), Sweden has received international criticism for its widespread use of restrictions.15 During an inspection in 2017, it was noted that a large percentage of detainees, who had no restrictions imposed on them, were placed in various remand prisons’ restricted places, and thereby not given the opportunity to spend time with other detainees.16 The Parliamentary Ombudsmen has emphasised that the Prison and Probation Service has the ability to control the situation by transferring detainees to remand prisons where it is possible to spend time with other detainees, and thereby prevent the majority of situations where detainees cannot use common facilities. It has also been noted that the Prison and Probation Service has not fully taken into account the Parliamentary Ombudsmen’s opinion that the lack of resources or inability to differentiate detainees is not an acceptable reason for keeping a detainee separate from other detainees. According to the Parliamentary Ombudsmen, it is not acceptable that a detainee is not given the opportunity to spend time with other detainees, for organisational or other reasons, over which the detainee has no influence.17 14 Follow up inspections were carried out at the remand prisons in Gävle, Helsingborg, Huddinge, Kronoberg, Umeå, Västerås, Ystad and Östersund and the prison establishments at Färingsö and Ljustadalen. 15 CPT/Inf(2016) 1, p. 48–53. 16 At the Huddinge remand prisons, 31 out of a total of 71 inmates who had no restrictions imposed on them were placed in a restricted section. At the Sollentuna remand prisons, the equivalent figure was 35 out of 123 inmates. At the Kronoberg and Gävle remand prisons, 44 and 17 detainees respectively who did not have restrictions imposed on them were placed under the same circumstances applying to detainees with restrictions. 17 The Parliamentary Ombudsmen’s decision of 14 June 2018, ref. no. 5969-2015. ... a large percentage of the detainees who had no restrictions imposed on them received a restricted placement in various remand prisons and were thereby not given the opportunity to spend time in common facilities.