2014-2015 REPORT ON NATIONAL PREVENTION OF TORTURE in accordance with the good practice applied by the two socialisation centres indicated by the Seimas Ombudsmen, to abandon the use of pacifying rooms in the remaining socialisation centres; should a decision be made to install and use pacifying rooms, it should be ensured that children’s rights are not violated due to installation and use of these rooms; undertake appropriate actions to prevent unlawful use of special measures against children in one of the inspected socialisation centres. means; no measures were taken to ensure that the child is kept in the pacifying room for as short a time as possible; following the child’s placement into the pacifying room, the problem of the child’s behaviour which resulted in the placement to the room was not addressed. 2. Regarding safe, secure and appropriate conditions in pacifying rooms – In one of the centres, the number of pacifying rooms was insufficient; therefore, more than one child at a time was placed therein; in another centre, pacifying rooms did not meet the applicable installation requirements; proper surveillance of the child placed into the pacifying room was not ensured; in certain cases, in order to place the child into the pacifying room, special measures were applied which are allowed against minors only in exceptional cases – when they resist in a manner endangering human life or health. THE MENTAL INSTITUTION In 2014, the human rights situation was assessed in one mental institution (Šiauliai Psychiatric Hospital). The following are the main problems and human rights violations identified: 1. Regarding safe, secure and appropriate conditions – A part of premises was not under surveillance by video cameras; therefore, secure environment for patients and the staff was not adequately ensured. Besides, the living space in a ward per patient (bed) (7 m2), as required by legal acts, was not ensured. In some wards, there were more than 4 beds, and there were no single-occupancy wards. There were also doubts as to whether it was reasonable to restrict a possibility to take a walk outside and as to the need for smoking premises. 3. Regarding registration of information, notification and complaining against placement in pacifying rooms – In many children’s socialisation centres, conclusion was drawn that information on placing and holding children in pacifying rooms was not properly registered; in one of the centres, there were no possibilities for the child to file a complaint against his/her placement into the pacifying room. Inspections of children’s socialisation centres focused only on the assessment of the conditions and situation of the placement of children residing in the centres into pacifying rooms. Following the inspection, one joint report with summarised conclusions was drawn up. It was recommended that the Minister of Education and Science consider a possibility, 2. Regarding ensuring the right to privacy – The patients had no possibility to lock hygiene premises from the inside; there were no separate premises for patients to have meetings with family or friends without the presence of strangers; patients were not guaranteed 20