NORWEGIAN PARLIAMENTARY OMBUDSMAN National Preventive Mechanism ANNUAL REPORT 2018 20 The expert committee also expressed concern that Norwegian legislation does not stipulate a maximum limit for how long an inmate may be held in isolation. This was also problematised by the UN Human Rights Committee in April 2018, which recommended that an absolute time limit be set in accordance with international standards.3 Based on these concerns, the committee recommended that the authorities ensure that law and practice relating to isolation are brought in accordance with the UN Convention against Torture and the UN ­Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Mandela Rules). The committee made a number of detailed recommendations on the use of isolation in prisons, including that: ››matters relating to the prison building or staffing conditions may not be used as grounds for isolation ››the legal framework must be amended to ensure that solitary conefinement is only used in exceptional cases ››inmates in solitary confinement must receive Shortcomings in prison mental healthcare Concern was also expressed about inadequate mental health follow-up in prison. The committee referred to a particularly high rate of mental illnesses among inmates in Norwegian prisons, and to the fact that a severe lack of beds in the mental healthcare service meant that inmates were placed in isolation in prison rather than being offered healthcare. The committee expressed serious concern about reports of such inadequate medical follow-up of inmates with symptoms of severe mental health illnesses. The committee recommended that the authorities ››abolish the use of isolation on inmates with serious mental health conditions ››implement measures to ensure full access to adequate mental health care for inmates, both in prison and in the mental healthcare services The UN Human Rights Committee made similar recommendations to the Norwegian authorities in its concluding observations.4 daily medical supervision, and isolation must be discontinued if the inmate suffers detrimental effects ››the person in isolation’s right to appeal and to legal review must be maintained The committee was also concerned about the systematic use of isolation in police custody facilities, and the suicide rate of persons on remand that may be caused by being placed in isolation. The committee recommended that the authorities implement measures to prevent unnecessary use of isolation in police custody facilities, including by ensuring sufficient staffing and suitable premises to attend to inmates on remand. — The UN Committee against Torture recommended abolishing isolation of prisoners with serious mental health challenges. 3 The UN Human Rights Committee, concluding observations for Norway’s seventh periodic report on implementation of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 25 April 2018, CCPR/C/NOR/CO/7, paragraph 24–25. 4 The UN Human Rights Committee, concluding observations for Norway’s seventh periodic report on implementation of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 25 April 2018, CCPR/C/NOR/CO/7, paragraph 26–27. —