Basic information on the national preventive mechanism »»»»»»» Basic information on the national preventive mechanism The Defender shall systematically visit places where persons restricted in their freedom by public authority, or as a result of their dependence on care provided, are or may be confined, with the objective of strengthening the protection of these persons against torture, or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, or punishment and other forms of ill-treatment. (Section 1 (3) of Act No. 349/1999 Coll.) Since 2006, the Defender has acted in the capacity of the national preventive mechanism pursuant to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT; No. 78/2006 Coll. of International Treaties). 34 The Defender’s mandate encompasses all places of detention, even places of detention de facto where restriction of liberty results from dependence on the care provided and where the primary purpose of stay is provision of social, educational and health. Systematic visits are carried out in facilities founded by both public as well as private entities. of visits internally one year in advance, where this plan is sometimes operatively supplemented in reaction to pressing issues. In determining the plan, the Defender follows up on the previous period, where in view of the goal to act against ill-treatment, the Defender strives for maximum efficiency in carrying out individual visits as well as issue-focused series culminating in systemic proposals and recommendations. As a rule, the visits are unannounced. The number of visits each year depends on the size of the facilities selected for visit and the scope of the inquiry. To ensure that the findings are representative, the Defender selects facilities both large and small, public and private, and located in cities and in rural areas alike. The Defender enjoys absolute freedom in the choice of places to visit. The Defender determines the plan The visits are carried out by employees of the Office of the Public Defender of Rights on the basis of the