The current report is the first comprehensive report by Latvian Centre for Human Rights which describes and analyses what has been observed in mental hospitals, social care homes for mentally disabled, State and municipal police short-term detention cells, immigration detention facilities and prisons during monitoring visits and highlights main trends in the developments related to the institutions during the period 2003 – 2006.

This study for the first time demonstrates the views of users of mental health care services on the medical and social care services available to them, provides an insight on human rights situation at psychiatric hospitals and social care homes for people with mental disorders in Latvia as seen by users of mental health care services, and assesses their satisfaction with available mental health care services.

The policy paper addresses developments in Latvia’s places of detention (prisons, police cells, mental health care facilities, illegal migrant detention places) since 1991, provides an evaluation by international organisations (Council of Europe, UN, European Commission) on their compliance with international standards, and analyses the work of domestic monitoring bodies (National Human Rights, prosecutor’s office), particularly in light of the new global instrument – UN Optional Protocol against Torture.