Report on the Performance of Activities of the National Preventive Mechanism for 2016 A problem that still remains unresolved is irregular medical supervision of prisoners who are subject to special measures or to the disciplinary measure of solitary confinement, which is prescribed by EPSA. For example, in Pula County Prison, it is common practice that physicians do not perform daily check-ups of prisoners whose security or health are not at risk and who Lack of medical supervision may call do not oppose the imposition of solitary into question the legality of execution of confinement measure. In addition, it is not certain special measures, such as always possible to organize medical check-ups on placement in a specially secured room, weekends either and, contrary to the provisions free of dangerous objects, restraining of EPSA, results and physician’s observations are and disciplinary measure of solitary not recorded in the book on the execution of confinement. disciplinary measure of solitary confinement. During our visit to Glina State Prison, difficulties have been noticed when it comes to obtaining physician’s consent to implement the measure of placement in a specially secured room, free of dangerous objects, which head of the prison must obtain within six hours from the beginning of measure execution. Community Health Centre in Glina, which was responsible for granting such consent in cases where measure was ordered to be imposed during the night or on weekends, has ceased to perform such medical check-ups because they do not represent emergency cases. As a result, State Prison officials had to escort prisoners against whom the measure was pronounced, to the Prison Hospital, which may represent a security risk, because those prisoners are often in a very poor mental state. Even though, according to COPSD, in the meantime this problem has been resolved, it is important to notice that lack of medical supervision may call into question the legality of execution of certain special measures, such as placement in a specially secured room, free of dangerous objects, restraining and disciplinary measure of solitary confinement. Legal protection Despite the fact that during our visit, we noticed certain positive changes, effectiveness of legal protection is still insufficient. For example, Rijeka County Prison has installed a complaints post box, but, according to information collected during our visit, not a single complaint has been filed. This would not be at all surprising, had the majority of prisoners not complained about accommodation conditions and treatment by the prison staff during NPM visit. The situation is almost the same In Pula County Prison, where according to data collected by COPSD, in 2016, not a single complaint was filed. During our visit to Glina State Prison, it was established that the head of the prison regularly responds to complaints, even those submitted anonymously, in which case the response is posted on the notice board, which is certainly an example of good practice. In some penal institutions, for example in Pula County Prison, no records of complaints are being kept, making it impossible to determine the frequency and the reasons for which prisoners complain, nor whether complaints have been responded to within the legally determined time limit. 16