27. 11 July 2017 The Ombudsman, Vlasta Nussdorfer, and Štefanija L. Zlobec, the President of the Spominčica association, opened the first DEMENTIA FRIENDLY SPOT at the premises of the Ombudsman. The opening ceremony took place parallel to a press conference. The Deputy Ombudsman, Ivan Šelih, the Ombudsman’s adviser, mag. Jure Markič, the Secretary General of Spominčica, David Krivec, and the work organiser for Spominčica, Alenka Virant, also attended the conference. 28. 26 July 2017 The Ombudsman’s adviser, mag. Jure Markič, attended the second meeting of the Working Group for setting up a specialised unit for people with the most severe cases of mental illness. The meeting took place at the premises of the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. 29. 28 August – 1 The Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia and the Legal September Information Centre for NGOs – PIC hosted a delegation from Tajikistan. The 2017 delegation came to Slovenia to learn about the work of the National Preventive Mechanism, which is being implemented by the Ombudsman together with selected non-governmental organisations (including PIC and the Peace Institute). They were also interested in the operations of other state authorities in the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. The Ombudsman, the Deputy Ombudsman, Ivan Šelih, and the Ombudsman’s advisers, Robert Gačnik, Ana Polutnik and Nataša Kuzmič, as well as representatives of PIC and the visited institutions, participated in the preparation and implementation of the programme. 30 30. 30 August The Deputy Ombudsman, Ivan Šelih, visited the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social 2017 Affairs and Equal Opportunities to attend a meeting of the Working Group for setting up a specialised unit for people with the most severe cases of mental illness which causes them to endanger their own lives or the lives of others. 31. 5 September At a press conference held at the premises of the Human Rights Ombudsman 2017 of the Republic of Slovenia, the Human Rights Ombudsman, Vlasta Nussdorfer, and the Deputy Ombudsman, Ivan Šelih, presented a special report, which the Ombudsman had sent to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia the previous day. The report covered the issue of overcrowding in secure departments of social care institutions (especially special social care institutions) and the difficulties faced by people with mental disorders who are placed in these departments, drawing attention to violations of their right to personal dignity. The Ombudsman, the Association of Social Institutions of Slovenia, individual social care institutions, and the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia have been drawing attention to this issue for several years, sending letters to the competent ministries, participating in press conferences, and attending various consultations. Overcrowding in secure departments has been one of the topics of the Ombudsman’s annual reports ever since 2010. The Ombudsman constantly monitors the activities of the relevant ministry, i.e. the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, which is seeking possible solutions for the overcrowding, but the situation has remained unchanged for too long. For this reason the decision was made to highlight this issue in a special report. In the special report, the Ombudsman proposed that the Government of the Republic of Slovenia should adopt the necessary measures to ensure more appropriate involuntary placement and treatment of people with mental health problems in social care institutions in accordance with the provisions of the Mental Health Act, and provide appropriate capacities in social care institutions and sufficient staff for the provision of appropriate social care services. The current situation, where such people are refused placement or are admitted and then accommodated in overcrowded rooms, dining rooms, living areas, and hallways of social care institutions, is unacceptable and violates the right to dignity and safety. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NPM IN 2017 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT