did not raise any reservations either. Living conditions in other pavilions (A and B) were assessed as average. In the visiting persons’ opinion, cells in these pavilions required both current and capital repairs. NPM representatives recommended that modernization works planned by the administration should be carried out. In numerous establishments repairs were under way in cells and passageways during the visits. It needs to be noted though, that all modernization works are hampered by the lack of funds. Even in units where overall living conditions were evaluated as good by NPM, the visiting persons saw the urgent need for repairs of certain rooms within these units, e.g. capital repairs of bathrooms in the prison in Tarnów, certain kitchen facilities in PDC Warszawa-Grochów (the unit management also stated that renovation of kitchen facilities was one of the priorities, therefore the commencement of renovation works was planned for the second half of 2010). Most ex-post recommendations concerning living conditions issued by the National Preventive Mechanism concerned PDC in Wrocław, PDC in Choszczno and the External Ward of this Detention Centre. Despite a gradual implementation of recommendations following the visit of 19-20 November 2008 and the ongoing process of infrastructure renovation in the PDC in Wrocław, repainting of walls in most cells, removal of mould and floor repairs were recommended again (only the cells refurbished after the flood of July 1997, situated on the lowest floor, as well as certain cells located on the upper floors raised no reservations). However, due to financial shortcomings, the renovation process is extremely slow. When it comes to PDC in Choszczno and its External Ward (further: EW) of this Detention Centre, it was judged legitimate to carry out modernization works planned by the unit administration both in PDC (bathroom and cells) and EW (bathroom, washroom, cells), as well as to gradually replace worn out accommodation equipment and sanitary facilities. The information obtained from the Director of the unit shows that arrangements concerning the construction of a new External Ward building are under way. Therefore, repairs in EW have been limited to most urgent ones. Moreover, the Director of PDC explained that refurbishment of all cells was planned. He also informed NPM representatives that the need to provide adequate cubic area to detained persons was an obstacle to large-scale renovations. In each case, renovation is related to the exclusion of cells under refurbishment from use, which implies the transfer of prisoners to other rooms. When analysing the living conditions, representatives of the National Preventive Mechanism also pointed to the lack of separate lighting of sanitary facilities in cells. Already in the fourth quarter of 2009, the Human Rights Defender, performing the functions of the National Preventive Mechanism, filed a relevant petition to the General Director of the Prison Service39. He indicated that persons deprived of their liberty complain that due to the lack of power supply to the cells in the nighttime, there is no light in sanitary facilities. The administration bodies of numerous establishments do not see the need for a separate lighting system for sanitary facilities, and consider the previous solutions sufficient, indicating that at nighttime sanitary facilities are lit by external, artificial lighting system from outside of the building. In other cases, the prison administration suggests that prisoners who want to use the toilet informed about it a Prison Service officer who can put on the light in                                                              39 RPO-628927-VII/09