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• Be informed about political conflicts or tensions in the area, between the local government and (minority) groups, or between these groups. • Be informed about and take into account the needs and expectations of victims or witnesses from minority groups in the local area. 51 With regard to determining the credibility of interviewees, the interviewer should, before or during an interview: • Assess the physical condition of the victim/witness and record any signs that could influence their credibility, such as signs of trauma, exhaustion, and alcohol or drug abuse. Keep in mind that poor physical condition, trauma, and exhaustion do not necessarily make an interviewee not credible. However, interviewing these individuals may require additional expertise, so refer to a professional wherever possible. If not possible, duly note what is causing distress, or is likely to be impacting the witness’ lucidity and coherence • Explore an interviewee’s religion, culture, customs and beliefs, in order to have a better understanding of any account given by them. • Pay attention to the language and allusions the interviewee makes, for example, to reward and punishment. • Where the interviewee has knowledge of an alleged victim or perpetrator, explore their relationship, and any places and events frequented by them that relate to the matter under investigation. 52 An interviewer may have reasons to be careful about the trustworthiness of a victim/witness if there are significant differences between the account given by the victim/witness during the interview and • what the victim/witness is reported to have said on a previous occasion. • the accounts of other victims/witnesses. • the injuries that the victim or the alleged perpetrator have. 51 Ministry of Justice, Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings, Guidance on interviewing victims and witnesses, and guidance on using special measures, 46 (2011), available at http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/docs/best_evidence_in_criminal_proceedings.pdf. 52 Ministry of Justice, Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings, Guidance on interviewing victims and witnesses, and guidance on using special measures, 46, 50 (2011). 47

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PILPG Handbook on Civil Society Documentation of Serious Human Rights Violations Sept 2016

Document

Documentation Purpose

Perpetrator-centred documentation

Topic(s)

Data/Information Strategy
Preservation and Archiving
Verification

Type

Guide

Description: Increasingly, civil society actors engage in documentation and investigation processes, seeking to collect evidence against those responsible for serious human rights violations. The purpose of this Handbook is to provide guidelines and best practices for the collection and management of information on serious human rights situations for those that are not professionally trained in such documentation practices. While the Handbook strongly emphasizes the need to refrain from investigating human rights abuses and to refer to professionals, practice shows that this is not always possible. Only under such circumstances and as a last resort may civil society actors consider engaging in certain documentation practices and not in others, always seeking to include professionals when and where possible. They may however only do so by adhering to the ethical principles and documentation guidelines that are provided in this Handbook. These enable unofficial investigators to do no harm, identify security risks, preserve crime scenes, prevent the loss of evidence, and manage the information in manner that preserves confidentiality, security and probative value, with an eye to possible use in later redress processes and without jeopardizing the future work of professionally trained and officially appointed investigators.

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PILPG_Handbook_on_Civil_Society_Documentation_of_Serious_Human_Rights_Violations_Sept_2016_tcm289-785328.pdf
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PILPG Handbook on Civil Society Documentation of Serious Human Rights Violations Sept 2016

Primary Documents

Verification Handbook

Notifications