by an official of the Prison Police against a convicted person. Such an event was described by several convicts, and in order to check the information regarding the received injuries, the NPM team inspected the medical record of the convicted person where the injuries were indeed noted. Another reason for the injuries was stated in the medical documentation. However, the NPM team also received information that convicts are often not allowed to have discretion in the contact with the doctor-psychiatrist, because the medical examination is attended by an official from the Security Department. In this respect, the NPM team strongly condemns the physical violence against convicts and especially stressed the need for medical examinations of convicts to be carried out without the presence of officials from the Prison Police, except in exceptional situations when it is explicitly required by the doctor or in conditions of high security risk. 3.2.5. Complaints system There are special forms in the Prison for submitting requests for exercising the right, legal interest or filing a complaint, as well as for submitting an appeal to the notification upon the submitted request for exercising the right, legal interest or filed complaint. The forms themselves explain the procedure for filing and deciding. The general conclusion is that the convicted persons are familiar with their rights and complaints, that is the appeals usually refer to the “alleged” non-compliance with their rights to use the benefits. There is no lawyer in the Prison, but the head of the Department of Socialization pointed out that at any time he provides information and legal assistance to convicts regarding the use of legal remedies and taking action to protect their rights. The illiterate convicts are allowed to give the legal remedy or other submission for the institution’s minutes. This category of prisoners is assisted by educators or other convicts in compiling the written submission. However, the NPM team noted that the long experience of some of the employees and their consent (at any time) to help convicts in compiling appropriate legal acts is by no means a systemic solution. Convicts often exercise the right to an oral complaint to the director of the institution or to a person authorized by him for a violated right. Oral complaints in most cases relate to the provision of benefits, the use of free days and free visits, as well as the need for healthcare (general and dental). The institution keeps records of all questions that are written manually, on non-standardized forms, in ordinary notebooks. With the introduction of electronic records in the day-to-day operation of the Institution, some of the shortcomings noted during the visit will be overcome. In this respect, the need for more frequent use of special forms for submitting requests for exercising the right, legal interest or filing a complaint or for filing an appeal to the notification upon the submitted request for exercising the right, legal interest or filed complaint for greater formality was pointed out and also the possibility of following the procedure was emphasized. www. ombudsman.mk 123