Background States which had ratified the Optional Protocol as of 31 December 2014 are marked in blue. Optional Protocol, and 60 states had established, maintained or designated national preventive mechanisms in their territories. The Parliamentary Ombudsman’s prevention mandate As a result of Norway’s ratification of the OPCAT, on 21 June 2013 the Parliamentary Ombudsman for Public Administration was allocated the role of Norway’s National Preventive Mechanism (NPM).5 A deciding factor in the allocation of this role to the Parliamentary Ombudsman was the ombudsman’s independence from the public administration. The Parliamentary Ombudsman has extensive experience of examining the activities of the public administration, including in places of detention. Moreover, it was pointed out in connection with preparations for the ratification of the OPCAT that the Parliamentary Ombudsman enjoys great credibility, legitimacy and respect of both the population at large and the public administration. Emphasis was also given to the fact that the role of national preventive mechanism would fit well into the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s current mandate, which is to seek to ensure that the public administration commits no wrongs against individual citizens, and to help ensure that the public administration respects and safeguards human rights.6 The Parliamentary Ombudsman Act and the Instructions for the Parliamentary Ombudsman for Public Administration were revised by the Norwegian parliament and adapted to the new task. A dedicated NPM department, with responsibility for implementing the mandate, has been established within the office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The NPM staff, consisting of 4.5 full-time equivalents, have legal, medical and sociological backgrounds. The work of the NPM is funded through the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s budget. The NPM is mandated to regularly examine the treatment of the persons deprived of their liberty in places of 1. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), CPT Standards, CPT/Inf/E (2002) 1 - Rev. 2013. 2. The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), A/RES/57/199, article 3. 3. See footnote 2, article 19. 4. See footnote 2, articles 11–16 and article 20. 5. Act of 21 June 2013 No. 89 relating to amendments to the Parliamentary Ombudsman Act (National Preventive Mechanism). 6. See page 38 of Prop 56 S (2012-2013), the bill on ratification of the optional protocol of 18 December 2002 to the UN Convention of 10 December 1984 against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Norwegian only). Norway’s National Preventive Mechanism – Annual Report 2014 11