36 Communications In 2014, the NPM gave priority to broad communication of its mandate, tasks and plans for the year. The NPM organised many meetings and undertook outreach and information work, primarily focusing on national actors. Effective prevention of torture and ill-treatment requires communication with the population and key target groups to build understanding of the rationale for prevention efforts and to raise awareness of the conditions facing persons deprived of their liberty. The visits conducted in 2014 attracted considerable local and national media coverage. vides information on the advisory committee, applicable laws and regulations, and the meetings, visits and activities of the NPM, including in the form of a calendar. Further, the website facilitates contact with the NPM and the submission of information about incidents and conditions affecting the situation of persons deprived of their liberty. The NPM website and use of social media The website is an important tool for ensuring transparency about prevention efforts. All visit reports are published in full on the Norwegian website, while report summaries and recommendations are translated into English and published on the English website. In April 2014, a dedicated NPM website (www.sivilombudsmannen.no/about-torture-prevention/front-page/) was launched as part of the website of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The website is the NPM’s primary information and publication channel, and is updated regularly. The site, which is available in both English and Norwegian, contains information on the NPM’s mandate and tasks and explains key terms like “deprivation of liberty” and “torture and ill-treatment”. The site also pro- During the course of the year, the NPM began using Twitter (www.twitter.com/SivOmb) to inform the public of its activities, and launched its own Facebook page (www.facebook.com/forebyggingsenheten) in November. Twitter and Facebook are now used regularly, primarily to direct readers to the NPM website. In just a short amount of time, the Facebook page has become the primary route for visitors to the website. The Directorate of Norwegian Correctional Service has published the report on the NPM’s visit to Bergen prison on its website. Norway’s National Preventive Mechanism – Annual Report 2014