-51 When interviews take place in the cell that the detainee is occupying (e.g. an isolation cell), it is possible to also note the conditions s/he is subjected to. Interviews can also take place in other appropriate areas. Detainees should be unrestrained and should not be divided from the interviewer by any partition (e.g. bars or glass). Some NPMs organise the first part of the interview with open questions to give the opportunity to detainees to say what they think to be most important. Afterwards, the NPM can ask specific questions to review the various aspects of solitary confinement, such as: • The way the medical examination is carried out; • The material conditions of detention facilities; • The regime to which they are subjected (daily exercise in open air, medical treatment, smoking, personal objects…) • Whether they know how long their isolation measure will last; • Which contacts they have with prison staff (and how the prison staff treats them), family members and their lawyer (to measure meaningful social contacts); • Whether they know of a complaint mechanism and how it works; • Whether they had the possibility to defend themselves in the disciplinary hearing; • Whether they have suffered any abuse or ill-treatment or if they know whether other isolated detainees have suffered them. • How they feel and whether they think solitary confinement is affecting their mental and physical health. With regard to interviews with staff, it has emerged as a good practice that some NPMs hold initial group meetings with staff without the presence of the director, and in that context they raise the issue of isolation and discuss with them their problems and any possible alternatives. Another good practice that was pointed out during the online conference for the presentation of the Handbook is also to have individual meetings with members of prison staff (all types of professionals). Indeed a one-onone meeting (even in a casual setting) can better bring to the surface not only what an individual really thinks, but also the dynamics, the way the Monitoring Solitary Confinement in Prison