ANNUAL REPORT OF 2019 ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SEIMAS OMBUDSMEN’S OFFICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA During the meetings such issues as draft legal acts, regulating enforcement of sentences and arrests assessing their compliance with human rights standards, the situation in prisons as well as other issues were discussed. It should be noted that the shortcomings of the penal enforcement system were also discussed by the Seimas Ombudsmen at the meeting of the Seimas Committee on Human Rights. Employees of the Human Rights Division of the Seimas Ombudsmen Office participate in various international cooperation events hosted for staff of the national mechanisms for the prevention of torture. In 2019, the employees participated, inter alia, in an expert meeting on the topic of ‘Treatment of vulnerable groups of prisoners’ organised by the European Union-funded project ‘Working towards harmonised detention standards in the EU – the role of the NPM’, in Sofia (Bulgaria). The meeting was organised by the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee along with its partners (Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Human Rights and the Association ‘Antigonė’). The purpose of the meeting was to help the authorities and individuals performing the NPM functions improve the monitoring of the protection of human rights of vulnerable groups of the convicted (women, children, persons with disabilities, foreigners, homosexuals), motivating them to regularly share their knowledge and experience with foreign partners in the internet system (platform) and to develop the joint document/handbook for monitoring human rights. During the event, the organisers presented the joint document (guide) and the internet system (platform) designed for the implementation of the functions of the national prevention of torture as well as other objectives mentioned above. More than four working groups were formed and participant, following practical tasks provided to them, could share their experience acquired in performing the NPM functions and could receive advice on arising challenges and their possible solutions. EVERYONE COUNTS 30 4. Training In regard to the recommendations made by the European Committee against Torture and Other Violent, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) to Lithuania on the need to increase the competences of persons working in places of detention in the fields of ensuring human rights, as well as prevention of torture and other illtreatment, by improving their skills and expanding their knowledge, the Seimas Ombudsmen seek to contribute to the development of the staff competences by organising training for employees of places of detention on the topics of restriction of human rights and freedoms in places of detention. On 22 October 2019, the Human Rights Division of the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office organised training for employees of social care institutions. During the training, employees of social institutions were familiarised with the care of persons in social care homes based on the principles of human rights, thereby increasing and ensuring the quality of social services and respect for the human rights of the users of these services. On 11 December 2019, the Human Rights Division of the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office organised training for the officers of correctional institutions to familiarise them with the supervision of life sentences based on human rights principles. During the training, areas for improvement were presented and analysed. III. KEY COMMENTS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACHIEVED DEVELOPMENTS 1. LONG-TERM SOCIAL CARE INSTITUTIONS FOR ADULTS In 2019, inspections were carried out in 20 (twenty) social care institutions (for adults with disabilities and elderly people):