2016 REPORT ON NATIONAL PREVENTION OF TORTURE Powers of the National Preventive Mechanism Inspections are organised during visits to any location where persons are or may be deprived of their freedom, i.e. police custody facilities, imprisonment, care or mental institutions, institutions for the treatment of infectious di­­sea­ses, institutions for holding or accom­mo­ dating foreigners, etc. Pursuant to Article 191(4) of the Law on the Seimas Ombudsmen, when implementing the national prevention of torture, the Seimas Ombudsmen enjoy extensive powers, in parti­ cular the right to: • choose the places of detention they want to visit and the persons they want to interview; • have access to all places of detention and all premises located therein; • have access to all installations and infrastructure of such places and premises; • have private interviews with the persons deprived of liberty without witnesses, as well as with any other person who may supply relevant information; • carry out inspections of places of detention accompanied by selected experts. The Seimas Ombudsmen are assisted by emp­loyees of the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office in organising and conducting the activities of the national prevention of torture assigned to them. In performing this function, they pay regular visits to places of detention and conduct their inspections, with a view to identifying any torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or other violations of human rights, and supervise the implementation of the Seimas Ombudsmen’s recommendations in the field of the national prevention of torture, and carry out other functions assigned to them. 4