Observers Thirty-six people, having professional experience in Jurisprudence, Law, Medicine, Psychology, and Human Rights, were selected as observers. The monitoring team included representatives of the KR Ombudsman’s Office and KR nongovernmental organizations. All observers took a special training in the area of human rights standards and principles of monitoring closed institutions. Memorandum of Cooperation To facilitate effective project implementation, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed by and between the KR Ombudsman, the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, and Kylym Shamy Public Foundation on 7 June 2011. The Memorandum will stay in effect till the end of 2011, with a possibility of extension for 2012. This Memorandum is aimed at strengthening the protection of persons deprived of their liberty against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by joint visits to places of detention all over the country without advance notice. The Memorandum of Cooperation is open for signature. At the time this Report was being prepared, seven other nongovernmental organizations with vast experience in monitoring closed institutions joined the Memorandum: • Golos Svobody Public Foundation (Bishkek), • Spravedlivost Oblast human rights organization (Jalal-Abad), • Luch Solomona Public Foundation (Osh), • Independent Human Rights Group Public Foundation (Bishkek), • Soyuz Edinenia Public Association (Talas), • Ventus Public Association (Karakol), • Voice of Freedom Public Foundation (Bishkek). In accordance with the Memorandum, the Ombudsman’s Office is to establish and maintain cooperation with nongovernmental organizations functioning in the Kyrgyz Republic in the area of human rights and liberties, and to actively participate in initiatives of local and regional human rights organizations aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Ombudsman’s Office. The Memorandum addresses the issues of visiting temporary detention facilities, temporary detention cells, IAB reception centres, disciplinary cells and disciplinary military units of KR Ministry of Defense, offices of Border Guard Services and military units under KR Interior Ministry, KR Ministry of Defense, KR State National Security Committee, KR Ministry of Emergency Situations, and any other facilities controlled by the law enforcement agencies, as well as psycho-neurological institutions and specialised hospitals for the requisite treatment of mentally handicapped people. Project Components and Their Implementation In pursuance of project goals and objectives, a methodology and work plan for the following three key areas were developed: 1. Monitoring of IAB TDFs, 2. Responding to statements about torture and cruel treatment, 3. The rehabilitation of the survivors of torture and ill-treatment. The implementation plan for the first project component covered the following activities: a. Training of monitoring teams’ members in the theory and practice of monitoring human rights at closed institutions, as well as the principles for conduct of a monitoring observer. To facilitate adherence to the principles of nonpartisanship, impartiality, and confidentiality while carrying out the research, project experts have developed the Instruction Booklet for Observers to Monitor TDFs of Internal Affairs Bodies in the Kyrgyz Republic.  See annex to the report. Text of Memorandum. 13