142 14. Summary My task as NPM is to regularly examine the treatment of the persons deprived of their liberty in places of detention as defined in Article 4 of the OPCAT, with a view to preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, even in lack of petitions or detected improprieties.279 The ultimate objective of the NPM’s visits is to persuade the authorities and institutions concerned to improve the system of functioning safeguards to prevent all forms of ill-treatment. The specific rules of performing this task are stipulated in Chapter III/A of the Ombudsman Act. The current legal environment is basically suitable for the performance of my tasks. As proposed by the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture,280 in the form of an internal inquiry, I reviewed the effective laws governing the operation of the NPM and I requested help from the Minister of Justice with performing the modifications that I find necessary.281 The Minister of Justice found only one of my proposals for the amendment of a law concerning the performance of the tasks of the NPM worthy of support.282 In performing the tasks of the NPM, I may proceed personally or through authorised public servant members of my Office. In 2018, my Office had to face two major challenges while performing the tasks of the NPM. On the one hand, due to the lack of applicants, I could not fill the two physicians’ positions stipulated in Section 39/D(4) of the Ombudsman Act. I employed the physicians participating in the visits on the basis of civil law contracts. On the other hand, staff turnover was rather high among the public servant lawyers participating in the performance of the tasks related to the NPM. One of the six lawyers working at the Department on January 1, 2018 left the Office at the beginning of the year. On average, the Department worked with eight public servant staff members. The vacated position was 279 280 281 282 See Section 39/B(1) of the Ombudsman Act. SPT visit to Hungary between March 21 and 30, 2017: conclusions and recommendations for the National Preventive Mechanism (CAT/OP/HUN/R.2), Section 19. See document No. AJB-4496/1/2018. Justice Minister ’s letter No. XX-AJFO/ID/267/2018/8 dated on February 27, 2019 was put on file under No. AJB-4496/1/2018.