Organisation of the activities of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture 2016, visits to penitentiary establishments have been carried out jointly by representatives of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture and representatives of the CHR Office’s Department for Soldiers and other Uniformed Service Members. The solution meets the needs of the Prison Service officers who may report their problems directly to the CHR Office employees who are aware of the officers’ rights. Appropriate assessment of the methods of treatment of persons deprived of liberty requires gathering information from various sources which, in many cases, is impossible without the support and knowledge of experts. Therefore, if possible, the visits are carried out together with external experts: psychiatrists, geriatricians and internal medicine doctors. Pursuant to the CHR’s decision12, the Expert Committee on the National Preventive Mechanism (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) was established. It is composed of specialists whose daily work relates to the rights of persons deprived of their liberty. The specialists include: lawyers, representatives of non-governmental organisations, representatives of uniformed services and doctors. The role of the Expert Committee on the NMPT is to support the Mechanism by providing expert opinions and developing the CHR’s comments and recommendations regarding existing or planned amendments to legislative acts and proposed systemic changes, and by formulating key points for the Commissioner’s interventions. Since the name “the National Preventive Mechanism” did not fully identify the Department’s role in the area of protection of rights of persons deprived of their liberty, including protection against torture, the Commissioner for Human Rights, following the Committee’s suggestion, agreed to the use of the name “the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture” or “the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment”13. Regulation no. 46/2016 of the Commissioner for Human Rights of 18 October 2016 determining the composition of the Expert Committee on the National Preventive Mechanism operating within the CHR Office. 13 Regulation no. 52/2016 of the Commissioner for Human Rights of 22 December 2016 on the names used by the National Preventive Mechanism. 12 11

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