1. Review of the performance of the National Preventive Mechanism Introduction The activity report of the National Preventive Mechanism provides information on the activities carried out in 2019 and key findings. On October 16-17, 2019, an international conference was held in connection with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the National Preventive Mechanism of Georgia, which was hosted by Nino Lomjaria, Public Defender of Georgia. The theme of the conference was “Measuring and Enhancing the Impact of the National Preventive Mechanism1”. Representatives of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT), European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), national preventive mechanisms, national human rights institutions, authoritative international organizations working in the field of prevention of torture and independent international experts discussed a study prepared by international experts on the impact of the Georgian National Preventive Mechanism on the prevention of torture, as well as the special cooperation between international treaty bodies and national preventive mechanisms. On the second day of the conference, the guests discussed the existing and emerging needs of national preventive mechanisms, expressed their views on the significant contribution made by the National Preventive Mechanism and its recommendations, discussed the importance of prioritizing a strategic plan and recommendations, follow-up mechanisms and forms of cooperation between the National Preventive Mechanism and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the Subcommittee on Torture Prevention (SPT). The necessity of increasing the visibility of the National Preventive Mechanism and changing the communication strategies, as well as methods of working with public, were also the topics of discussion. On April 17, 2019, on the basis of an open competition, for the purpose of performing the functions of the National Preventive Mechanism, the Public Defender selected 40 members of the Special Preventive Group for monitoring penitentiary facilities, places of detention and restriction of liberty, military units, children’s homes and institutions for persons with disabilities. Members of the Special Preventive Group shall be selected on the basis of a competition, which shall be held once in every two years. The terms of the competition are determined by the order of the Public Defender of Georgia. Pursuant to Article 191 (1) of the Organic Law of Georgia on the Public Defender of Georgia, the Special Preventive Group shall regularly inspect the situation and treatment of detainees, convicts and 1 The Public Defender thanks the Open Society Foundation for preparing the assessment of the ten-year work of the National Preventive Mechanism, as well as the European Union (EU), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Penal Reform International (PRI), as it would be impossible to hold this event without their support. 4