fundamental and human rights �.� national preventive mechanism against torture – Mikkeli Prison, 24 May 2018, specific theme (2340/2018) – Prisoner transport by train, 29 May 2018 (2648/2018) – Accessibility in Jokela Prison, 20 June 2018 (3183/2018) – Juuka Prison, 9 October 2018, 40 places (4652/2018) – Pyhäselkä Prison, 9–10 October 2018, 87 places (4653/2018) – Accessibility in Pyhäselkä Prison, 10 October 2018 (5322/2018) – Helsinki prison, 27 and 29 November 2018, 312 places (5563/2018) – Visiting area premises of Kuopio Prison, 20 November 2018 (6085/2018) – Accessibility in Helsinki Prison, 27 November 2018 (6148/2018) The inspection visits were announced with the exception of the visits of the prisoner transport, Mikkeli Prison, Jokela Prison and the visiting premises of Kuopio Prison. The visit to Mikkeli Prison was mainly a follow-up to the visits conducted in 2016 and 2017. The observations made during the prison accessibility inspection visits are also reported in Section 3.4 (Rights of persons with disabilities). The Kerava, Pyhäselkä and Helsinki outpatient clinics of Health Care Services for Prisoners were visited in addition to the above. These visits are described in the health care section. Conditions in solitary confinement Provisions on the conditions of observation were added to the Imprisonment Decree in 2015. Among other things, these provisions state that a prisoner’s rights may only be restricted if it is necessary in order to fulfil the purpose of observation. The grounds for placing the prisoner under observation must be taken into consideration in restricting the prisoner’s rights. In other words, being placed under observation should not automatically mean that, for example, the prisoner would have to eat on the floor. Seclusion facilities at Juuka Prison. In his decision issued on 23 February 2018, the Deputy-Ombudsman commented on the furnishings of isolation cells and observation cells. He considered it problematic that all cells in the isolation unit of Riihimäki Prison were unfurnished. The only piece of furniture was a mattress on the floor. Unfurnished isolation cells were also discovered in other prisons. Prisoners are placed in isolation cells on various grounds, for example as a disciplinary punishment or safety measure. For this reason, the type of cell and conditions that each prisoner should be placed in must be considered on a case-by-case basis. According to the Deputy-Ombudsman, it cannot be a general principle that a prisoner can be placed in an unfurnished cell in all situations. He also noted that the prisons should acquire furniture that they could issue to prisoners for their cells. Making prisoners eat on the floor is not acceptable with regard to their human dignity. Different prisons have different practices in the above-mentioned matters. The Deputy-Ombudsman considered it to be justified and important that the Central Administration Unit of the Criminal Sanctions Agency would issue guidelines to prisons on how and in what conditions placement in an isolation unit should be implemented (1276/2017*). The Criminal Sanctions Agency reported that it will issue guidelines on how and in what conditions solitary confinement should be implemented. The 85