Foreword by the Chair Foreword by the Chair Dear Reader 2020 was a challenging year for the NCPT as its activities were affected by the COVID-19-pandemic. However, once the necessary protective measures were in place, the Commission was able to resume its normal inspection visits in the summer after a brief break. NCPT inspections focused on the main categories covered previously: detention facilities, psychiatric institutions, monitoring of forced return flights and federal asylum centres. Starting from 2021, monitoring of federal asylum centres will be expanded to include unaccompanied minor asylum seekers; preparations for this were already under way in the reporting year. The Commission also expanded cooperation with the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and took initial steps to develop other monitoring activities, particularly relating to police custody, nursing homes and institutions for persons with disabilities. I took over as Chair of the Commission in early 2020 and was pleased to note that both the Commission and its Secretariat work together in a dedicated and professional manner. I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Commission members and to the staff of the Secretariat for their hard work! Activity report NCPT 2020 1