Correctional institutions are executed “directly in front of the other patients in the department (...)” are qualified by the CPT as “degrading both for the patient and involuntary spectators” and (thus) constitute a violation of Article 3 of the EHCR (CPT/Inf [94]20, GR-PM1, Section 235). The operator of the institution stated that the separate room for inmates in need of acute psychiatric care was planned in cooperation with the correctional institution. Regrettably, there had been repeated capacity problems in the past. This had been the case on the day of the visit by the commission. As there is not always an alternative in another free room in the department, there are in fact protective restraints. The staff are instructed in any case to carry out the restraints in a way that respects the dignity of the patient and to use a screen. This was done in the case in question. It is not acceptable for the NPM that the external conditions determine whether a patient is mechanically restrained. It therefore welcomes the fact the Federal Ministry of Justice is holding talks with the hospital operator on extending the ward at Graz Regional Hospital. The entire forensic area is to be extended. From a structural perspective, the adjacent wards are to be adapted for this purpose. The goal is to bring all of the forensic patients who are currently being treated in the different areas of the general psychiatric departments at Graz II Regional Hospital together in a special department. The plans also include the extension of the separate room for inmates in need of acute psychiatric care. Bringing the wards together The first of a two-phase plan will bring all of the male patients together. The offer is to be extended to the women in a second phase. The talks should be finished by the end of the year so that the NPM can expect reports on the results at the beginning of 2021. X The lack of single rooms shall not be the reason for restraining patients to protect them from each other. X The condition for uniform medical care is that patients are not dispersed to several wards due to a lack of space and then treated there in isolation. 2.5.9.2 Lack of space in Department E2 (Forensics) - Rankweil Regional Hospital After reviewing the documentation on their monitoring visit in spring 2019, the commission was assured that the treatment of the patients met current medical standards. Another positive highlight was that the criticism expressed on a previous visit was followed: now all persons who are deprived of their liberty can go outdoors for a least one hour every day whereby the opportunity to go outside in the fresh air is not limited to having access to a balcony. No criticism regarding treatment 128