4.2 Indexing, Cataloguing, and Storing Information This section discusses the importance of correctly indexing, storing and handling of information. Valuable and corroborated information may be useful evidence in the future. 178 It is therefore important that this information is managed well and that the same standards of management are applied to everything that is collected. 179 The information has to be organized in a way that it can easily, quickly and logically be retrieved when needed. 180 As a general principle, completing a back up of all information collected in electronic format should be prioritised if possible over a backup in hard copy. To structure information, it needs to be organized in a consistent manner, for example by using templates. A template is an empty form on which key information can be recorded in a consistent format. When a template is completed, the result is a record. A database is a compilation of records that can be organized to facilitate the storage and easy access to specific records, or particular information in such records. 181 4.2.1 Case Sheets To facilitate the recording of serious human rights violations, a standard template should be developed, also known as a “case sheet.” Its purpose is to provide a quick and brief summary of the information that is available at the time. To the extent possible, the basic elements that should be recorded on the case sheet are: • The identity and personal information of the victim(s); • The identity of the alleged perpetrator(s); • The location, date, and time of the incident; • The circumstances and the nature of the incident; • The responses of the government and/or of other groups; and 178 That is information that has successfully passed the verification process described above, and that has the potential to be used in judicial or other proceedings. 179 Maria Nystedt, Christian Axboe Nielsen and Jann K. Kleffner, A HANDBOOK ON ASSISTING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS 55 (2011), available at https://www.folkebernadotteacademy.se/en/AboutFBA/News/2011/A-Handbook-on-Assisting-Criminal-Investigations/. 180 Amnesty International and CODESRIA, Ukweli. Monitoring and Documenting Human Rights Violations in Africa: A Handbook, 22 (2000), available at https://www.amnesty.nl/sites/default/files/public/ukw_eng.pdf. 181 Manuel Guzman and Bert Verstappen, What is Documentation?, HURIDOCS, 23 (2007), available at https://www.huridocs.org/resource/what-is-documentation/. 118