Since Monday, 4 March, a delegation of the National Preventive Mechanism of Mongolia has been visiting Slovenia. “The Slovenian National Preventive Mechanism is known as one of the best in the world in the prevention of torture and inhuman treatment, hence we are honoured to be able to exchange views on the issue and familiarise ourselves with the best practices,” emphasised the head of the Mongolian delegation, Commissioner for the Prevention of Torture Tselmen Yadamjav, who was appointed to this position about a year ago, said at the meeting. Human Rights Deputy Ombudsman and Head of the Slovenian National Preventive Mechanism Ivan Šelih and his colleagues prepared a collection of information and experience which their colleagues from Mongolia will be able to use while establishing and strengthening the foundations of the preventive mechanism and empowerment of their employees.

On 7th March 2024, Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina, in a short address to the guests, expressed his belief that the elaborate information on work methodology, best practices, and experience and knowledge of the Slovenian NPM both in the Slovenian and international environment will be able to serve as a good foundation for the development of the preventive mechanism in Mongolia. “I believe that practical cases of visiting places of deprivation of liberty made over these days can be especially useful when forming and improving various approaches in Mongolia; naturally, with the consideration to local specifics,” said Ombudsman Svetina.

The guests participated in actual visits of the Slovenian National Preventive Mechanism directly in the field and were familiarised with methods of monitoring irregularities or violations in places of deprivation of liberty or places with restricted movement. At Koper Prison they were familiarised with conditions there and learned about performing monitoring at the place itself. At Piran Police Station our guests from Mongolia learned about how their Slovenian colleagues are monitoring the work of police officers in a police station They also visited Dom Lukavci and got acquainted with the issue of placement of persons with court orders and problems of special social welfare institutions with overcrowding, about which the Ombudsman has been warning for many years. They also visited the Educational Home Veržej.

On the last day of their visit, Deputy Ombudsman and Head of the Slovenian NPM Ivan Šelih introduced the guests from Mongolia to the efforts of the Slovenian Institution in promoting the right to a life without torture and other inhuman treatment, while he devoted special attention to the dissemination of knowledge on prevention of torture among the wider public and in the work of public bodies.
 
At the close of this work visit, representatives of the Slovenian and Mongolian preventive mechanisms stressed the immense importance of prevention of torture and other forms of inhuman treatment and discussed further collaboration in implementing human rights to life without torture and inhuman treatment.