Report of the Commissioner for Human Rights on the activities of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture in Poland in 2017 5. Limited range of cultural and educational activities for remand prisoners and convicts “CPT calls on Polish authorities to undertake measures necessary for the development of programs of activities for both, remand prisoners as well as convicts. The goal should be to ensure that each detainee can spend a reasonable part of the day (eight hours or more) outside the cell while participating in purposeful and diversified activities (work, education, vocational training, sport, etc.)”68 The range of activities offered to prisoners is very limited. Apart from an hour-long walk and activities organized in the common room they did not have a chance to be involved in other pursuits. In practice, as could be concluded from conducted interviews, they spent most of the time in the residential cell. They only left it to go for a walk. The problem pertained also to juvenile prisoners who indicated that recreation and rehabilitation programs were not very attractive to them. Therefore, they were unwilling to benefit from those forms of activity. Mandela Rules: Recreational and cultural activities shall be provided in all prisons for the benefit of the mental and physical health of prisoners.69 Provision shall be made for the further education of all prisoners capable of profiting thereby, including religious instruction in the countries where this is possible.70 Programs of activities dedicated to prisoners play an important role in ensuring safety as well as well-being of detainees and prison personnel. Forced idleness increases tension in the prison and may have serious consequences for the health and good disposition of persons deprived of liberty as well as for their future reintegration after they leave the penitentiary establishment. Extreme, forced and full idleness is inhuman in a longer term (SPT).71 68 69 70 71 CPT report from visit to Poland, CPT/Inf (2014) 21, Article 43 Rule 105 Rule 104 SPT report from a visit to Benin, CAT/OP/BEN/1, Article 273 31