Prevention of torture and ill-treatment Special Report 2015 (Article 23 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of the General Assembly of the United Nations) LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM (NPM) WORKSHOPS, INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE AND OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE NPM REALITY OF THE PENITENTIARY SYSTEM - INSPECTION OF DETENTION FACILITIES Legislative developments and challenges Roural Prisons for Adults Detention of minors – Special Detention Facility for Juveniles of Corinth General Detention Facilities Specific issues of a penitentiary interest ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION OF THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONALS Places of Detention of Third-country Nationals PSYCHIATRIC COMMITMENT Visits - On-site inspections INSTITUTIONS This Report reflects the activities of the Greek Ombudsman in 2015, as the National Torture Preventive Mechanism, in accordance with its special competence under Article 2, Law 4228/2014. LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM (NPM) The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) is an international convention on human rights, which was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2002. The common denominator was the consensus and the common understanding of the member states of the international community, that the efforts against the ill-treatment of persons who are deprived of their liberty, and are therefore in an especially vulnerable position, should focus on prevention. Greece ratified this Optional Protocol with Law 4228/2014, transposing this Convention into national law with increased formal power. Article 2 of the above-mentioned law nominated the Ombudsman as the “National Preventive Mechanism against Torture". 1

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