Public IBA Webinar Launching New Guide Investigating and Mapping Perpetrators in Open Source Investigations
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the Human Rights Center at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law will be presenting their new, ground-breaking guide on using open source information to map perpetrators of human rights violations at a special International Bar Association webinar event on April 27, 2023.
“Using open source intelligence to map perpetrators of atrocity crimes,” will feature keynote speaker US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Beth Van Schaack. Berkeley Human Rights Center Co-Director Alexa Koenig will moderate a discussion between report co-author Daniela Gavshon (former Director of the Truth and Accountability Program, PIAC), Raquel Vazquez Llorente (Head of Law and Policy, Technology Threats and Opportunities, WITNESS), Ruwadzano Makumbe (Human Rights Lawyer and PhD Researcher, Ghent University), and Yvonne McDermott Rees (Law Professor, Swansea University). John Ralston, former Executive Director of the Institute for International Criminal Investigations, will deliver special remarks.
This webinar will consider the importance of mapping perpetrators, how open source information can be used during that process, issues of over-documentation, and strategies for leveraging available material.
Investigating Perpetrators provides practical guidance for investigators on how to use open source data to comprehensively map potential perpetrators of human rights violations and related crimes. Understanding the structure of security forces, roles within various units, and their location over time is a powerful tool to support accountability processes, including criminal prosecutions, civil cases, vetting processes and sanctions.
“Perpetrator mapping is one of many investigative processes that can be significantly strengthened with the help of digital open source information,” said Human Rights Center Co-Director Alexa Koenig, who supported the development of the report.
The guide sets out a methodology for collecting, organizing and analyzing the copious open source information available regarding alleged war crimes and mass human rights violations. Investigators can use the methodology to create a powerful information map of parties’ activities through time and across geographic regions.
“Open source investigations are a crucial source of information for justice and accountability processes,” said report co-author Daniela Gavshon. “With so much information available, it is essential that we continue to improve how we collect, systematize and use it. This methodology provides one more tool to assist open source investigators to refine their work.”
“Using open source intelligence to map perpetrators of atrocity crimes” is a public event requiring free registration on the International Bar Association’s website.
Media contacts:
Maggie Andresen, HRC Communications Specialist: +1 845 608 4997 mandresen@berkeley.edu
Dan Buhagiar, PIAC Media and Communications Manager: +61 478 739 280 media@piac.asn.au