Today, on Ukraine’s Constitution Day, IPHR unveils a new initiative: IPHR Investigates.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, we set up IPHRosint channels on Twitter, Telegram, and Mastodon, where we’ve been posting daily extracts from our constantly updated database of open-source evidence of civilian harm. As of 28 June, all of these channels have adopted the new handle IPHRinvestigates. We’ve also launched a Ukrainian-language version of our Telegram channel: IPHR Розслідує.
Finally, we teamed up with artist Mykhailo Dunakovskiy to create a new visual identity for IPHR Investigates to better reflect who we are as an organisation and what we hope to achieve with this project.
What else is going to change?
We’re still going to post daily geolocated extracts from our digital open-source evidence database, but we’ll also be bringing you much more besides.
IPHR Investigates will become a one-stop shop for information on all of IPHR’s investigative and accountability work.
Alongside the usual OSINT posts, you’ll also be seeing more:
- Info on potential perpetrators of cases investigated by IPHR
- Info and photos from our field missions in Ukraine
- Updates on our accountability efforts
- Deep dives based on our reporting
- Day-to-day info on our investigations
We wanted the channels’ new visual identity to capture the scope of our wider investigative work, at the same time paying homage to IPHR’s multicultural identity.
Why are we doing this?
Over the years, IPHR has developed a holistic approach to investigative and accountability work and we want our online channels to reflect that. We bring together field investigators, OSINT researchers, lawyers, and testimony-takers in third countries to pursue a common mission.
Our multidisciplinary strategy ensures that no stone is left unturned in the search for accountability, each aspect reinforcing the others. We’ve been documenting Russian war crimes on the ground in Ukraine since 2014. Since 2022, alongside local and international colleagues, we’ve been complementing this work by collecting testimonies from survivors and witnesses now located in third countries. The final piece of the puzzle is open-source intelligence-gathering (OSINT). We’ve been developing our OSINT capacity since 2020, when we undertook an investigation into grave human rights abuses being committed by the Lukashenka regime in Belarus.
All of our investigative and documentary work in Ukraine, abroad, and in the online space supports our mission to bring the perpetrators of international crimes to account and bring about justice for victims and their families. In order to achieve this, IPHR is prepared to and does feed collected evidence into any and all international, regional, and national mechanisms at our disposal.
How can you help?
There are a number of ways you can support our mission to bring war criminals to justice:
- Our local partners need all the support they can get to continue their work. You can donate to support our partners here: iphronline.org/donate-for-ukraine.
- If you or someone you know has survived or been a witness to a possible war crime, you can help our investigation by giving your testimony. You can contact our team at +380 502 185 203 (UA). More info on collecting testimonies: https://www.iphronline.org/testimony-collection.html.
- On Wednesdays, we share materials that we need help to geolocate. In such cases, we welcome you to send us a message if you have relevant skills or local knowledge.
- On Fridays, we share info about potential perpetrators identified in cases we’ve investigated. If you have further info on any of the individuals or units we identify, we’d love to hear from you.
- If you are also doing accountability work in Ukraine, we welcome new collaborations. Please contact us at investigates@iphronline.org if you’d like to discuss possible cooperation.
Remember to follow IPHR Investigates on Twitter, Telegram, and Mastodon to be sure not to miss any of the latest developments.