ANNUAL REPORT OF 2019 ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SEIMAS OMBUDSMEN’S OFFICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA all the rights provided by the Law, investigate complaints having objectively assessed the circumstances complained about, make decisions, issue recommendations to institutions, analyse the follow-up information on the implementation of recommendations, and, if necessary, take other measures to ensure the effective implementation of the recommendations. The Seimas Ombudsmen actively respond to the information received from media or by other means about possible abuse of office by officials, bureaucracy or other violations of human rights and freedoms. In such cases, the Seimas Ombudsman conducts investigations on his own initiative. The right of the Seimas Ombudsmen to mediate between the individual and the official who refuses to address the individual’s problem is the traditional right of ombudsmen exercised all around the globe. This right is also provided for in the Law on the Seimas Ombudsmen, according to which the Seimas Ombudsmen can mediate to have the individual’s problem resolved in good faith. By mediating between individuals and state or municipal institutions and issuing recommendations, the Seimas Ombudsman draws the attention of the officials to the shortcomings of their work and violated human rights in the sphere of public administration. If the mediation procedure does not resolve the problem and the recommendations are not followed, the complaint is examined on the merits. It should be noted that the mediation procedure makes it possible to significantly shorten the time of investigation of complaints and to resolve issues relevant to the complainants within 1-1.5 months and to pay greater attention to the pressing problems relevant to a large part of the society. Only when people are confident that their rights and freedoms are protected and are effectively defended in the event of their violation the confidence in the State and its institutions will increase. The effective protection of human rights and freedoms is ensured by a variety of means: by investigating complaints, EVERYONE COUNTS 7 conducting investigations on own initiative, mediating between individuals and the State, collaborating with non-governmental organizations, etc. It should be emphasized that human rights are effectively protected only when all envisaged human rights remedies are implemented, without prejudice to the application of any of them. National Prevention of Torture Since 2014, the Seimas Ombudsmen have been carrying out the national prevention of torture by regularly visiting places of detention. According to Article 19 1(2) of the Law on the Seimas Ombudsmen, the place of detention is any place under the jurisdiction or control of the Republic of Lithuania, where persons are or may be deprived of their liberty, either by virtue of an order given by a public authority or at its instigation or with its consent or acquiescence, i. e. arrest houses, imprisonment institutions, social care homes, mental health facilities, communicable disease treatment facilities, places of detention of foreigners and other institutions. According to the data available to the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office, there are more than 400 places of detention in Lithuania. In carrying out the national prevention of torture, the Seimas Ombudsmen exercise broad powers, i.e. the right to choose which places of detention to visit and who to interview, to enter all places of detention and all the premises therein, to familiarize themselves with their facilities and infrastructure, to speak without witnesses with persons deprived of liberty, as well as to question any other person who may provide the relevant information. In addition, the Seimas Ombudsmen have the right to conduct inspections of the places of detention together with selected experts. In performing this function, the places of detention are regularly visited and inspected to determine whether there are any manifestations of torture, other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, or any other forms of violation of human rights; furthermore, the supervision is