2. Foreign nationals restricted in freedom Success: introduction of social work with foreigners serving imprisonment We repeatedly pointed out the need for proper preparation of foreign nationals for their return to the country of origin. The year 2017 brought an improvement for foreigners waiting for expulsion in prison. A new regulation issued by the Director General of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic lays down the procedure in dealing with foreigners so as to encompass proper preparation and thus minimise the risk that the return will be frustrated. Foreigners being expelled must now be advised of the date, time and place of return sufficiently in advance so that they can inform their families of their arrival and ask for possible help. Employees of the prison service should direct the foreign nationals to deal, already during the imprisonment, with issues related to their families, children and property, and not leave these matters to the last moment. The prison staff also informs foreigners of possible support and assistance in the target destination if required by their personal situation. Monitoring of forced returns and ill-treatment prevention One of the tasks of the Defender is also to monitor the detention of foreign nationals and the performance of administrative and criminal expulsion. We linked this activity with our systematic visits and also substantially increased its intensity in 2017. Monitoring in 2017 18 of criminal expulsions 6 of administrative expulsions 1 of transfers under the Dublin Regulation Recording and analysis of decisions ―― 6,383 decisions on expulsion, including decisions on appeals, ―― 787 decisions on detention, including decisions on continued detention In 2017, the Office of the Public Defender of Rights continued to implement the project of the national programme under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund. The project is titled Support for the Effective Monitoring of Forced Returns, Reg. No. AMIF/8/02. Monitoring of expulsion contributes to an increased standard of treatment of foreign nationals restricted in freedom and better protection especially of vulnerable persons, such as minors, unaccompanied minors, people with disabilities, elderly people, pregnant women, single parents with minor children and persons who have been tortured, raped or exposed to some other serious form of psychological, physical or sexual violence. We are present to transfers both by land and by air, we have service passports, an authorisation to enter non-public premises at Václav Havel Airport in Prague, and in view of our mandate, we can also be present in police escort vehicles. 15