are deprived of their liberty pursuant to a decision of the Polish authorities or with their consent. People in places beyond the social supervision are at risk of torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The risk increases at the times of uncertainty, such as pandemics or emergencies. At such times, the lack of effective solutions, procedures and staff training can impact human behaviours. The surveillance and monitoring institutions, on the other hand, have limited capacity to act. Following the ongoing public discussions regarding the coronavirus, the Commissioner is under the impression that in the public space, no sufficient attention is paid to the situation of persons deprived of their liberty. Statements of representatives of the authorities, and voices in the public debate, hardly ever refer to persons deprived of their liberty or to solutions proposed to be used with regard to this group. The Commissioner emphasized the need to protect persons deprived of their liberty not only against the infection and the consequences of COVID-19, but also to provide adequate medical and psychological care to such people. The key element in preventing COVID infections at places of detention is the frequent conducting of the coronavirus tests. In the Commissioner’s view, state institutions should review their measures and procedures, as well as their resources, to ensure that persons deprived of their liberty are not excessively exposed to the risk of COVID-19 infection, and that their rights and guarantees of protection against all forms of ill-treatment are not violated. The Commissioner, therefore, requested the Prime Minister to provide information on the measures taken to protect the rights of persons deprived of their liberty. The Minister of the Interior and Administration, in his reply23 ensured that persons deprived of their liberty exercise the rights enjoyed by them to the full extent. They undergo medical examinations in accordance with the rules set out in the Regulation of the Minister of the Interior of 13 September 2012 on medical examinations for persons detained by the police. All voivodeship i.e. regional police units and the Warsaw police unit have received the Procedure for dealing with persons suspected of the COVID-19 infection or with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. The procedure has been approved by the Chief Sanitary Inspector from the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. Detained persons with COVID-19 symptoms or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection are placed in separate rooms for detained persons (RDP), designated exclusively for persons with the symptoms or the suspected infection. Police officers at the isolation facilities follow the applicable procedures if they have been in contact with a person suspected of COVID-19 or with symptoms of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The Border Guard Headquarters informed that medical personnel members working in guarded centres for foreigners had been instructed about the procedures developed by the Chief Sanitary Inspector from the Ministry of the Interior and Administration - in relation to persons suspected of COVID-19 or with the confirmed diagnosis. Moreover, regular contact is maintained with the state sanitary inspectors responsible for the individual areas of the country. Also, daily disinfection of 23 Letter of 12 May 2020. 23