Documentation of Information from Victims and Witnesses

This section will review best practices on documenting information from victims and witnesses, including conduct during and after an interview. The section additionally discusses special considerations to keep in mind when documenting information on psychological injury and sexual and gender-based violence, or when interviewing specific groups such as minors, members of LGBTQ communities, and individuals with disabilities. 


Conduct during the interview

This video provides a step-by-step overview of conduct that the documenter should take during an interview with a victim or witness.

closing the interview

This video provides an overview of the best practices and steps for closing an interview with a victim or witness. 

Post interview process

This video provides an overview of the best practices and steps to follow following an interview with a victim or witness. 

mock interview

This video contains two mock interviews between a human rights documenter and a Rohingya refugee.

Documenting information from minors

This video reviews the best practices for interviewing minors and discuss how the documenter can best remain sensitive to the needs of minors. 

documenting sexual and gender based violence

This video reviews the best practices for documenting information related to sexual and gender-based violence.

Documentation Best Practices relating to Members of LGBTQ Communities

This video reviews the best practices for interviewing and documenting human rights violations against the LGBTQ community and discusses how the documenter can best remain sensitive to these individuals’ specific needs.

Documenting Information on Psychological Injury

This video reviews the best practices of documenting information related to psychological injury. 

connecting documentation work to relevant legal standards

This video will review the basic international crimes and legal standards for admissibility, and discuss how the documenter can best collect information that can be used in future legal proceedings. 

Documentation Best Practices relating to Members of disability communities

This video will review the best practices for interviewing and documenting crimes against members of the disability communities and discuss how the documenter can best remain sensitive to these individuals’ specific needs.