6 Introduction The General Assembly of the United Nations (hereinafter the “UN”) adopted the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (hereinafter the “OPCAT”)1 on December 18, 2002; it entered into force on June 22, 2006, on the thirtieth day after the date of deposit with the Secretary-General of the UN of the twentieth instrument of ratification. The OPCAT is open to accession by any State that has ratified or acceded to the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.2 Hungary acceded to the Protocol on January 12, 2012, more than two decades after ratifying the UN Convention. The Parliament designated the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights3 as the national institution conducting regular, unannounced visits to places of detention (hereinafter the “National Preventive Mechanism, NPM”4). I have to carry out this task as of January 1, 2015. 5 Juvenile Penitentiary Institution (Tököl) I have published my reports on the visits conducted as National Preventive Mechanism on the website of my Office – these report have all been duly processed by the press. I have to prepare comprehensive annual reports on my activities as National Preventive Mechanism6 – I am hereby fulfilling this obligation for the first time. The annual report on the activities of the National Preventive Mechanism in 2015, in addition to summarizing reports on the visits conducted in 2015 and the responses of various authorities given thereto, also informs the readers on the preparatory works carried out in 2014. Budapest, May 2016 László Székely 1A/RES/57/1999. Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT). 2 See Article 27 of the OPCAT 3 See Section 8 of Act CXLIII of 2011 4 See Article 3 of the OPCAT 5 See Article 24.1 of the OPCAT and Chapter III/A, effective as of January 01, 2015, of Act CXI of 2011 on the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights 6 See Section 39/C of the Ombudsman Act