The Public Defender’s recommendations made in 2017 concerning increasing the daily duration of spending time in the open air (which is one hour) and arranging appropriate conditions for physical exercise in closed-type and special risk penitentiary establishments has not been fulfilled. Despite the recommendation of the NPM, prisoners held in closed-type and special risk establishments were not given the possibility to spend more than one hour in the open air. The survey conducted by the Public Defender showed that 32.1%, of prisoners, who are in the open-air daily, state that they are practically healthy. Prisoners of the same group complain rarely about serious and chronic diseases. Furthermore, those prisoners who spend a certain time in the open air daily suffer less from the inclination to self-harm, suicidal thoughts and attempts of suicide.25 Contact with the Outside World as a Coping Mechanism with being in a Closed Institution, Psychological and Penitentiary Stress Contact with the outer world has great importance for accused and convicted persons. Being in a closed institution is already depressive and associated with psychological difficulties and penitentiary stress. Considering the fact that high-risk convicted persons placed in special-risk prison facilities are more restricted in their contact with the outer world in accordance with the legislation, it is obvious that they are practically isolated for prolonged periods, which contradicts international standards and can amount to ill-treatment in some cases. Despite the recommendations made by the Public Defender, the Imprisonment Code has not been amended to the effect of giving the right to video visits to convicted persons in special-risk prison facilities. The Imprisonment Code has not determined the right to long visits for remand prisoners, taking into account the interests of the investigation. 2.2. ASSESSMENT OF THE STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PENITENTIARY AND CRIME PREVENTION SYSTEMS FOR 2019–2020 On 22 February 2019, the Minister of Justice of Georgia approved by order no. 385 the Strategy and Action Plan on the Development of the Penitentiary and Crime Prevention Systems for 2019–2020. The present chapter discusses how the Public Defender’s recommendations are reflected in the Action Plan on the Development of the Penitentiary and Crime Prevention Systems. The action plan is composed of strategic goals, interim and expected outcomes, deadlines and indicators. The incorporation of the Public Defender’s recommendations in the action plan has been reviewed in terms 25 The Public Defender of Georgia, the NPM, Impact of the Imprisonment Conditions on Prisoners’ Health, p. 118, available at: http://www.ombudsman.ge/res/docs/2019060317571314166.pdf (accessed 10.06.19). 17