On 21 September 2022, Eurojust, together with the EU Network for investigation and prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes (Genocide Network), and the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) published practical guidelines for civil society organisations on how to document international crimes and human rights violations for accountability purposes. Setting out a series of “do’s and don’ts”, the guidelines aim at supporting civil society organisations in the collection and preservation of information related to international crimes and human rights violations that may become admissible evidence in court at national or international levels.

The guidelines contain advice on a number of important areas, such as:

• How to approach vulnerable persons;
• How to take a person’s account, photographs, and videos;
• How to deal with documents, digital information, and physical items;
• How to store, safeguard, and analyse collected information.

They also contain a checklist setting out the core principles and practical steps that can be followed.

The guidelines are part of the strengthened cooperation between Eurojust and the Prosecutor at the ICC after Russia's aggression in Ukraine. The aim is to support the storage and sharing of evidence of alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine.