fundamental and human rights �.� national preventive mechanism against torture tion 3.8. In addition to the key theme, the special duties of the Ombudsman, i.e. the rights of children, the elderly and the disabled, are taken into account on each visit. The visits also involve the “oversight of oversight”, i.e. the realisation of the NPM’s duty to oversee the activities of other supervisory authorities. 180 150 120 90 3.5.8 POLICE 60 30 0 2016 2017 2018 all inspections/visits NPM-visits unannounced NPM-visits Visits in 2016–2018. practice in certain administrative branches. In 2018, external experts where involved in 19 visits. On four visits, the medical expert was supplemented by an expert by experience. The NPM intends to further increase the use of external experts. Out of the other visits conducted by the Ombudsman, 5 were related to the duties of the NPM, such as visits to the National Police Board and the Central Administration Unit of the Criminal Sanctions Agency. Since its establishment of the NPM, has increasingly focused on interviewing persons who have been deprived of their liberty. On site, the NPM has sought to interview those in the most vulnerable position, such as foreign nationals. This has meant an increase in the use of interpreter services. One of the key themes for the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman for 2018 was the right to privacy. Further details on the theme of fundamental and human rights are provided in sec- It is the duty of the police to arrange for the detention of persons deprived of their liberty not only in connection with police matters, but also as part of the activities of Customs and the Border Guard. The greatest number of people, over 60,000 every year, are apprehended due to intoxication. The second largest group consists of persons suspected of an offence. A small number of people detained under the Aliens Act are also held in police prisons. From 1 January 2019, the detention of remand prisoners in a police detention facility for longer than seven days has been prohibited without an exceptionally weighty reason considered by a court. The rationale presented in the government proposal (HE 252/2016 vp) also refers to the opinions expressed by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) and the Ombudsman, that police facilities are unfit for the accommodation of remand prisoners. The longterm goal must therefore be to gradually abandon the practice of holding remand prisoners at police facilities. The Act on the Treatment of Persons in Police Custody (Police Custody Act) is also currently under review. Following the Act’s amendment, the National Police Board will update its own guidelines on the treatment of persons in police custody, and determine any general matters possibly provided for in facility-specific rules on custody (a rules template). The reports on the Ombudsman’s visits are always sent to the National Police Board and the visited facility. Internal oversight of legality at police departments is conducted by separate legal 77