The presence of the Prime Minister allowed, among others, to address the fulfillment of the international obligations of the Portuguese State under the National Prevention Mechanism (NPM) against Torture.

 

Created in 1975, the Ombudsman is an independent state body that defends people who see their fundamental rights violated or feel harmed by unjust or illegal acts by the administration or other public authorities.

 

In Portugal, since 1999 the Ombudsman has been the National Human Rights Institution. In 2013, the institution also assumed the role of NPM, having to ensure that the Portuguese State complies with the United Nations Convention and Protocols against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, through regular visits, without prior notice, to places where any persons deprived of their liberty are found, namely prisons and educational centers.