BackIn Estonia, the Chancellor of Justice performs the functions of the national preventive mechanism since 18 February 2007. There are almost 150 establishments in Estonia qualifying as places of detention within the meaning of the Optional Protocol. The majority of them are police detention facilities and social welfare institutions. In 2011, 33 inspection visits to 35 places of detention were carried out. In comparison, 27 inspection visits to 33 places of detention were carried out in 2010; 25 visits to 37 places of detention in 2009; 19 visits to 40 places of detention in 2008; and 18 visits in 2007.
In his activities as the preventive mechanism, the Chancellor of Justice considers international cooperation with other preventive bodies and relevant international organisations to be very important.
While also performing the functions of the national preventive mechanism for ill-treatment, the Chancellor regularly inspects children’s institutions where the freedom of movement of children is restricted (e.g. special schools, closed child psychiatry wards) in order to assess the protection of the rights of children and prevent ill-treatment in such establishments.
Besides the supervisory function, the tasks of the ombudsman for children also include raising awareness of and promoting the rights of children, supporting the inclusion of children and strengthening their position in society as active participants and contributors.
During the reporting year, the Chancellor opened 1739 cases, which is 1% less than in 2010. As at 1 February 2012, 1635 of the cases had been completed, in 28 cases follow-up proceedings were being conducted and 76 cases were still being investigated. In 395 cases substantive proceedings were conducted, and in 1344 cases no substantive proceedings were initiated for various reasons. 72 cases were opened on the Chancellor’s own initiative, and 53 inspection visits were conducted.
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