Report on the Performance of Activities of the National Preventive Mechanism for 2016 Accommodation conditions in most police stations do not meet the required standards; in addition, they do not dispose of sufficient funds for ensuring that every person deprived of their liberty is given a meal. Sanitary facilities are covered by video surveillance, which invades privacy, and detention units provide no area where persons could be in the fresh air. As for use of means of coercion, it is particularly important to determine whether their use was justifiable and lawful as well as to perform this assessment within the foreseen deadline, which was not the case in some police stations in 2016. In accordance with ECHR practice, every state must provide arguments in order to prove that It is important for the premises to be means of coercion were not excessively used. equipped with video or audio recording Complaints regarding excessive use of means of devices which would represent an coercion, especially when there are visible external additional measure for protecting injuries and when medical examination did not citizens’ rights from violation, persons follow immediately after it, may point to their illdeprived of their liberty from abuse, founded or unlawful use, as well as to possibility of but also police officers from unfounded torture, inhuman or degrading treatment. For this abuse allegations. reason, it would be a good thing to have the premises in question equipped with video or audio recording devices which would represent an additional measure for protecting citizens’ rights from violation, persons deprived of their liberty from abuse, but also police officers from unfounded abuse allegations. In addition, in order to improve the quality of police conduct, especially in the first phase of deprivation of liberty, it is necessary to carry out trainings of police officers on domestic and international standards of treatment, as well as on ECHR practice. 3. PERSONS WITH MENTAL DISORDERS WHOSE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT HAS BEEN LIMITED “They tried to persuade me to sign a document claiming that I came to the hospital willingly, but I refused to do so. They made me take a pill, against my will.” In 2016, we received 18 complaints pertaining to involuntary hospitalization, conducted two investigative procedures in the field and visited four healthcare institutions that offer psychiatric treatment. The case of a man whose identity remains unascertained, who spent 36 years in the Psychiatric Hospital Rab and more than 16 years waiting to be committed to a suitable social institution, clearly reveals inefficiency of collaboration between different administrations in this area. Throughout this time, he was deprived of appropriate rehabilitation services which are essential for the extent of his disability, since they are not available in the hospital, but within the framework of social care system. It is inadmissible that a psychiatric institution be responsible for all rights of a person who is being treated there, especially if this person does no longer need treatment. With identity unknown and with no personal identification 31