threaten a victim/witness when entering a location, moving around
or sitting down.61
An interpreter should not:
• Intimidate or threaten a victim/witness.
• Show pity, shock or judgment.
• Use their own words during any interview, for instance by
exchanging any words in relation to the information that is
provided to or by the victim/witness or explaining anything, unless
explicitly instructed to do so.
• Change anyone’s words - euphemisms should not be changed, the
possible meaning should be explained and clarifying questions
should be asked.
• Omit anything said even if it may seem unimportant.
• Make suggestions about how to conduct the interview.62
Selecting an interpreter:
• Try to find trained and independent interpreters (if available).
• Never use family members of the interviewee as interpreters, for
confidentiality reasons.
• Only use an interpreter from the same community as the
victims/witnesses as a last resort.
• Assess and vet any potential interpreters for criminal records,
impartiality, trustworthiness, capacity for the role, affiliations and
ability to work with vulnerable people. An interpreter’s sex, age,
identity and ethnic, cultural and political affiliations may affect the
assessment of trustworthiness but be careful not to perpetuate
stereotypes or persecutory ideologies when considering these
factors.
• Always assess the candidate’s personal views on serious human
rights violations, in general and in the particular situation, and, if
relevant in the context, sexual and gender-based violence and
gender equality, prior to hiring them.
61
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of
Sexual Violence in Conflict, 38-39 (2014).
62
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of
Sexual Violence in Conflict, 39 (2014).
51
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents