3.3 Visit reports A visit report is a written document in which the NPM reports about its findings following a monitoring visit to a place of deprivation of liberty. The visit report should provide findings as well as a systemic analysis of the risks of torture and other ill-treatment in the visited place, based on the NPM’s observations. It should include recommendations to detaining and other relevant authorities, with a view to mitigating or eliminating these risks and improving treatment and conditions in these specific settings. Visit reports complement other types of reports NPMs may publish, including NPM annual reports and thematic reports addressing specific types of places or detention issues across places. Why draft visit reports? Although the OPCAT only mentions NPM power to make recommendations (Art. 19 b) and is silent regarding drafting visit reports, it is commonly recommended to NPMs, including by the SPT in its Guidelines on national preventive mechanisms (CAT/OP/12/5, para 36). Indeed, visit reports represent an essential tool for the NPM in its daily work for a number of reasons. Most important of all is to share the NPM’s findings with the authorities and to contribute to change in detention. In addition, visit reports allow the NPM: • To present the NPM’s findings, observations and recommendations and systematise information The visit report is the core instrument that allows an NPM to present its findings and conclusions following a monitoring visit. In the short-term, it allows the NPM to share with relevant authorities its expert analysis of each of the visited places of deprivation of liberty in order to improve the situation and reduce risks. In the mid-term, it allows it to get an overview of the situation and issues linked to deprivation of liberty, establish comparisons across a variety of places and/or similar institutions. In the long-term, it allows it to follow-up effectively on the changes it recommended and to measure progress on their implementation. • To provide an objective basis for dialogue of the NPM with authorities and other NPM activities Visit reports are the reference documents NPMs can rely on when entering into dialogue with authorities on their recommendations, as provided by Art. 22 OPCAT, and when mobilising other key stakeholders to achieve change. Reports also enable NPMs to assess progress in places of detention over time. • To ensure the coherence of the NPM’s work Visit reports follow a certain format and structure, which can evolve over time. These are the result of an NPM’s strategic thinking, and should be harmonised across visits. By drafting visit reports, NPMs ensure coherence over their monitoring work. They can also eventually reflect on existing visit reports to assess their efficiency, and discuss potential ameliorations of the format and underlying methodology. • To build the visibility and transparency about deprivation of liberty and eventually the legitimacy of the NPM’s work Visit reports, in case of publication, allow NPMs to build transparency and visibility on issues related to deprivation of liberty and hold the authorities accountable. This further contributes to enhancing the legitimacy of the NPM as a reference institution on detention issues. 20 NPM Toolkit for Asia Pacific NPM-NHRIs