National and international cooperation ric hospitals’ patient ombudsmen for the protection of the patients’ rights against potential violations. Activities of the NMPT find their reflection in the Commissioner’s international cooperation. In 2016, representatives of the Mechanism participated in several conferences and workshops held in Vienna on the prevention of torture as well as the organization and operation of National Preventive Mechanisms in different countries. A representative of the NMPT also took part in a conference on juvenile detention systems in Brussels. It needs to be emphasized that the Polish NMPT also participated in a series of three meetings on strengthening the cooperation between the National Preventive Mechanisms and judges. The meetings were organized by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights in Vienna. Representatives of the NMPT also participated as Short Term Experts in the Polish-German Twinning Project Support to the Strengthening of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The aim of the project was to strengthen the institution of Ombudsman in Azerbaijan through the exchange of experience and good practices of the Polish Commissioner for Human Rights in the area of protection of the rights of persons deprived of their liberty, including their protection against torture, as well as protection of the rights of children, elderly persons and persons with disabilities, and of the broadly understood right of access to information. The NMPT was represented by two employees whose tasks were related, respectively, to the organization of training for staff of the national preventive mechanism operating within the Ombudsman’s Office in Azerbaijan, and the development of a long-term development strategy for the Office. The NMPT’s representative also took part as an expert in training for Russian Public Monitoring Committees, organized by the Council of Europe in Yerevan. In addition to discussing theoretical aspects, the NMPT’s representative conducted practical group training in the formulation of appropriate questions for the first meeting with the head of the visited establishment, and for conducting an individual conversation with a  person deprived of liberty. 15