1 Implementation of Duties and Powers of the National Preventive Mechanism in 2013 IMPLEMENTATION OF DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM IN 2013 Under the Act Ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Uradni list RS [Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia], No. 114/2006 – Mednarodne pogodbe (International Treaties), No. 20/06 – The Optional Protocol), the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia (hereinafter: the Ombudsman) also fulfils the mandate and exercises the powers of the National Preventive Mechanism (hereinafter: the NPM). In agreement with the Ombudsman, the same role is assumed by the selected non-governmental organisations (hereinafter: the NGOs) registered in the Republic of Slovenia and organisations that have obtained the status of humanitarian organisations in the Republic of Slovenia and are engaged in the protection of human rights or fundamental freedoms. In fulfilling its mandate end exercising its powers, the NPM visits all places of detention in the Republic of Slovenia, thus checking the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in order to enhance their protection against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Having regard to the legal norms, the NPM makes recommendations to relevant bodies with the aim of improving the conditions and treatment of persons deprived of their liberty and preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In this context, the NPM may also submit proposals and comments on the applicable or proposed laws. In the Republic of Slovenia, the regular places of the deprivation of liberty are particularly the following: - institutions for serving the sentence of imprisonment (hereinafter: the prisons) with all their units and Radeče Correctional Facility; - juvenile institutions (JIs); - certain social care institutions (SCIs) and special SCIs; - psychiatric hospitals (PHs); - police custody and/or detention rooms at police stations (PSs); - the Aliens Centre and the Asylum Centre; - detention rooms operated by the Slovenian Armed Forces, and - all other places within the meaning of Article 4 of the Optional Protocol (e.g. police emergency vehicles and similar). IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NPM IN 2013 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT 9