Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 5 days ago
From Ukraine to Sudan to Gaza, journalists are often among the first to document war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law. Their reporting can become crucial evidence - but only if it is collected, verified, and preserved according to standards that maintain the chain of custody. Too often, valuable material becomes unusable in court due to gaps in documentation, metadata loss, or unclear workflows. This panel brings together investigative reporters, digital forensics experts, and legal practitioners to explore how journalistic investigations can be made “court-ready” without compromising ethics, independence or safety. Panelists will discuss practical tools and methods for secure evidence preservation, emerging best practices in open-source investigations, and the importance of maintaining clear boundaries between the roles of journalists, activists, and lawyers. The conversation will offer actionable guidance for newsrooms working in conflict zones and for journalists aiming to ensure their documentation can support future accountability efforts. Moderated by Frederik Obermaier. Organised in association with paper trail media.
From Ukraine to Sudan to Gaza, journalists are often among the first to document war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law. Their reporting can become crucial evidence - but only if it is collected, verified, and preserved according to standards that maintain the chain of custody. Too often, valuable material becomes unusable in court due to gaps in documentation, metadata loss, or unclear workflows. This panel brings together investigative reporters, digital forensics experts, and legal practitioners to explore how journalistic investigations can be made “court-ready” without compromising ethics, independence or safety. Panelists will discuss practical tools and methods for secure evidence preservation, emerging best practices in open-source investigations, and the importance of maintaining clear boundaries between the roles of journalists, activists, and lawyers. The conversation will offer actionable guidance for newsrooms working in conflict zones and for journalists aiming to ensure their documentation can support future accountability efforts. Moderated by Frederik Obermaier. Organised in association with paper trail media.
