NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM AGAINST TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT 2019 Notwithstanding recent developments, the Mechanism's findings in the field confirm ongoing systemic failures and weaknesses and reaffirm the key red flags underpinned in its annual reports: overcrowding remains a persistent concern as well as understaffing, namely in healthcare and social services with severe impact on detention conditions, thus undermining education, leisure activities, occupation and training opportunities and finally compromising the social rehabilitation process. A bad situation is made worse when police stations that are already failing to meet minimum standards (in terms of out-of-cell time, safety requirements, guarantees of vital space and sanitation) are used for the administrative detention of third-country nationals (often minors). The Mechanism reaffirms its standard objection regarding the administrative detention of minors in pre-removal detention facilities for thirdcountry nationals, taking also into account its persistent findings in the field regarding severe shortcomings in effective healthcare services and infrastructure maintenance. Moreover, practices implemented in the transfer of individuals admitted for involuntary psychiatric treatment, especially the disproportionate use of mechanical restraint, continue to undermine human dignity. Finally, care institutions for disabled people still face persistent issues regarding their organization and functions, including the lack of recruitment of expert personnel competent to run programs of specialized treatment. Within its mandate as the National Preventive Mechanism, the Greek Ombudsman shall continue to respond to the new challenges set by recent developments regarding the conditions and functions of detention facilities and reaffirms its solid position regarding the delimitation of repressive measures in the light of respect for the detainees' human rights and in order to ensure that rule of law and transparency are upheld in detention facilities. George P. Nikolopoulos Deputy Ombudsman for Human Rights 12