The NPM regularly disseminated public statements concerning outcomes of the visits to the places of deprivation of liberty, proposals related to the amendment of legislation and various events. Among them were public statements regarding the legislative amendments related to the use of special means in penitentiary institutions; the need for implementing dynamic security and entitling a member of special preventive group to use photo camera in prisons and the challenges linked to the prevention of suicide. The Members of NPM have participated in tens of TV and radio programs and have given interviews to the printed and internet media outlets. 1.2.4.  PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL EVENTS The NPM members participated in several international events, among them, the regional conference – “increasing effectiveness of the fight against ill treatment in the penitentiary system” – held in Chisinau, on 27 February; two meetings on torture prevention („Pre-meeting of National Preventive Mechanisms on Police and the Prevention of Torture”, “Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting on the Prevention of Torture”) organized by the government of Switzerland in Vienna, on 10-11 April; East European NPM conference held in Lviv, on 13-14 November and international conference – “towards good governance” – arranged in Brno, on 27-28 November. On 10 September 2014, the Head of the Department of Prevetion and Monitoring at the Office of the Public Defender of Georgia delivered speech before the Human Rights Council at its 27th session held in Geneva. He voiced up the Public Defender’s position concerning the need for the establishment of an independent investigative mechanism and the strengthening of the NPM. 1.2.5.  DIALOGUE WITH NGOS AND DONOR ORGANIZATIONS In 2014, the NPM was actively cooperating with NGOs, among them, “Open Society Georgia Foundation” (OSGF), “Penal Reform International” (PRI), “Human Rights Center” and “Institute of Social Studies and Analysis”. Various activities of NPM during the year were financially supported by the European Union and the OSGF. The NPM had an active communication with the “Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT)”. Public Defender of Georgia was visited by Professor Andrew Coyle and Baroness Vivien Stern (International Centre for Prison Studies). Detailed discussions were held about the challenges faced in the prison system of Georgia. 1.2.6.  COMMUNICATION WITH COLLEAGUES The NPM of Georgia paid a special attention to the communication and experience sharing with the representatives of the national preventive mechanisms of other 8 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM OF GEORGIA