Part II: Preventing torture: NHRIs in action • military detention facilities • detention centres for migrants and asylum-seekers • temporary detention points in ports or airports • border checkpoints • medical institutions • psychiatric institutions • social care homes for children and elderly people. During these visits they are able to: • interview any person deprived of liberty in private • interview any relevant official and staff member • interview family members of a person deprived of liberty • examine the records of all persons deprived of liberty • examine documents, such as disciplinary rules and prison records • inspect the entire premises of the place of deprivation of liberty. 4.2. Regional visiting bodies 4.2.1. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture The European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, adopted by the Council of Europe in 1987, establishes the Committee for the Prevention of Torture. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture has a mandate to visit any place of detention in all Member States of the Council of Europe. It can carry out two types of visits: • periodic visits, which take place on a regular, five-year basis; the alphabetical list of countries to be visited the following year is published at the end of the previous year • ad hoc visits, which take place in response to a specific event and commonly occur at short notice. The European Committee can visit, at any time, any place where people are deprived of their liberty. This includes places such as prisons and police cells, as well as psychiatric hospitals and homes for children and older people. It can enter any institution that it chooses without restriction. It can communicate freely and confidentially with people deprived of their liberty and with anyone else who may be able to provide relevant information. After its visit, the European Committee will prepare a report with recommendations, which is submitted to the State for its response. Although this reporting process initially occurred confidentially, it has now become accepted that States will authorize publication of the reports. It can also issue a public statement if the Government does not cooperate (and has already done so on several occasions). In its general report of activities, the European Committee has also adopted a series of standards on issues such as police custody, imprisonment, health care services in prisons, involuntary placement in psychiatric establishments, young people deprived of their liberty, safeguards for irregular migrants deprived of their liberty and combating impunity. 105