Event information

14 December 2022, 18:30-20:00
Register start 5 December 2022
Register end 13 December 2022

Downloads

Flyer >

Towards Greater Accountability with Open-Source Information

Geneva Academy Talks

Open-source information is increasingly referred to as a landmark innovation in efforts to promote accountability. When it is gathered accurately, used responsibly and stored safely, such data can greatly contribute to documenting, investigating and prosecuting international crimes and serious human rights violations, including during armed conflict.

Reliance on open-source information also raises concerns, however, for instance around information veracity, the right to privacy, conditions for courtroom admissibility and protecting the fundamental rights of the accused.

This IHL Talk will explore the practices, opportunities and challenges stemming from the open-source character of information and will notably discuss the following issues:

  • Understanding technology: To add value to accountability processes, digital open-source information must be collected, analysed and managed according to strict standards. This raises important questions around both opportunities (data overlays, geolocation and identity verification), as well as challenges (safeguarding, manipulation and mishandling) for using open-source data in legal processes.
  • Open-source data in international organizations and⁄or NGOs: Open-source information is already being used by international commissions of inquiry, different special procedures and NGOs to document international crimes and serious human rights violations. Important lessons should be gleaned from such experiences, including around sourcing and verification methodologies, how a ‘do no harm’ approach is integrated into data collection, and how findings are fed into accountability processes or otherwise used in practice.
  • User-generated evidence: While user-generated evidence may play an important role in the prosecution of international crimes, key procedural questions remain. These include the threshold for admissibility, what status is attributed to the owners of such information and the level of credibility attached to such evidence in determinations.

Moderation

  • Ana Srovin Coralli, Teaching Assistant, Geneva Academy
  • Francesco Romani, Research Fellow, Geneva Academy

Panelists

  • Jacqueline Geiss, Chief Executive Officer, Videre Est Credere
  • Sam Dubberley, Managing Director, Digital Investigations Lab, Human Rights Watch
  • Samborska Iryna, Prosecutor of the First Unit, Division for Procedural Management of Pre-trial Investigation and Maintenance of Public Prosecution in Criminal Proceedings on Crimes related to Sexual Violence, Department of Combating Crimes Committed in Conditions of Armed Conflict, Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine

About IHL Talks

The IHL Talks are a series of events, hosted by the Geneva Academy, on international humanitarian law and current humanitarian topics. Academic experts, practitioners, policymakers and journalists discuss burning humanitarian issues and their regulation under international law.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

neurotech image News

Research Brief Evaluates the Human Rights Implications of Neurotechnology in Therapeutic and Commercial Applications

27 March 2025

Our research brief, Neurotechnology and Human Rights: An Audit of Risks, Regulatory Challenges, and Opportunities, examines the human rights implications of neurotechnology in both therapeutic and commercial applications.

Read more

neurotech image News

Human Rights Concerns in Neurotechnology Examined in New Research Brief

15 April 2025

Our research brief 'Neurotechnology - Integrating Human Rights in Regulation' examines the human rights challenges posed by the rapid development of neurotechnology.

Read more

Event

Strengths and Challenges of Inter-State Applications Before the European Court of Human Rights

22 May 2025, 18:30-20:00

In this Geneva Academy Talk Judge Lətif Hüseynov will discuss the challenges of inter-State cases under the ECHR, especially amid rising conflict-related applications.

Read more

Warzone Event

Advanced IHL Seminar for Academics and Policymakers

25-29 August 2025, 09:00-17:30

Co-hosted with the ICRC, this event aims to enhance the capacity of academics to teach and research international humanitarian law, while also equipping policymakers with an in-depth understanding of ongoing legal debates.

Read more

Asian workers working at technology production factory with industrial machines Training

Business and Human Rights

19-23 May 2025

This training course will examine how the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights have been utilized to advance the concept of business respect for human rights throughout the UN system, the impact of the Guiding Principles on other international organizations, as well as the impact of standards and guidance developed by these different bodies.

Read more

Town Hall Meeting Training

Localizing International Human Rights

8-10 October 2025

This training course, specifically designed for staff of city and regional governments, will explore the means and mechanisms through which local and regional governments can interact with and integrate the recommendations of international human rights bodies in their concrete work at the local level.

Read more

Iraq, Mosul. View of the west bank after the war. Project

IHL in Focus

Started in January 2024

As a yearly publication, it keeps decision-makers, practitioners and scholars up-to-date with the latest trends and challenges in IHL implementation in over 100 armed conflicts worldwide – both international and non-international.

Read more

Session of the UN Human Rights Committee Project

Treaty Body Review 2020 and Beyond

Started in January 2018

The Geneva Human Rights Platform contributes to this review process by providing expert input via different avenues, by facilitating dialogue on the review among various stakeholders, as well as by accompanying the development of a follow-up resolution to 68/268 in New York and in Geneva.

Read more

Cover page of the working paper Publication

AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

published on January 2025

Milica Mirkovic, Jennifer Victoria Scurrell

Read more

Cover Page of Research Brief Publication

War on Minorities’ Under the Guise of Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism

published on December 2024

Beatrice Meretti

Read more