Ensuring history does not disappear: what data are needed for documenting the criminal
The mother has a recording of one of her daughter’s calls. A man’s voice can be heard next to hers, suggesting what she should say. She also received letters and news from others. From these scraps, the mother tried to understand where her daughter was kept and what happened to her. One call will not tell the whole story. However, it gives you a starting point to move forward.
During the interview, these details gradually become a story. Where did it all begin? Where was the person taken? What did he see himself, and what did he learn from others?
From the mouth of relatives
Testimonies of relatives often become the only source of information about what happened when the victim died, disappeared, was in captivity, or in illegal detention. They can tell their part of the story. How the evidence will be formed depends on the story’s accuracy and sequence.
They have calls, letters, messages, and long months without a single message. They did not see what happened behind the cell door, but they know how they searched for a loved one and what they heard. Without this voice, the story would be incomplete.
What the relatives should preserve
It is possible and necessary to prepare for a conversation with documentarians. This is not an exam, but some things are best prepared in advance.
1. Call recordings and voice messages
Save the original files, not just screenshots or notes. Do not cut or edit them under any circumstances, as the authenticity of electronic documents must be preserved. Background voices and sounds can also be important, so don’t delete the “extra”. It is better to save more, because, in your opinion, unimportant elements can, on the contrary, play an important role for documenters.
Make several copies and store them on different media and in different places.
2. Letters and messages
Leave dates, times, phone numbers, names, and accounts from which messages came, etc. Supplement screenshots of the correspondence with a chat-history export, if the platform offers that option.
3. News from other people
Write down who reported it, when, and what exactly. Save this person’s contact information and any personal details you can collect. The more data you have, the easier it is to establish an identity. Immediately note whether they themself saw the described events or retell what they heard from someone.
When several people mention the same places or similar events, their testimonies help to understand more. They also preserve what short messages miss: a person’s voice, her fear for her loved ones, and the small things she held on to.
4. Documents
Make several paper or electronic copies of documents: passports, photos, medical documents, loss reports with registration numbers, responses from the police, prosecutor’s office, public organizations, and other institutions, etc. Be sure to write down the person’s personal characteristics so you have everything at hand if needed.
5. Personal belongings of the victim
Do not throw away, do not wash, or “put in order” the personal belongings of your loved ones and belongings from the scene of events. They may contain important evidence.
6. Create a chronological record
Write down sequentially when and where you contacted them, what they replied to you, when there was news for the last time, and how the events unfolded.
What to pay attention to
Accuracy begins with the words “I saw”, “I was told”, “I guess”.
During the conversation, distinguish between “I saw” and “I was told” and name the source of the information. Don’t guess. It is better to answer “I don’t remember honestly” or “I don’t know”; that’s a completely normal answer.
You can remember a piece of road, an inscription on a door, or words heard from others. These details are important, but a guess should remain a guess.
Of course, repeated stories are exhausting. Sometimes a person doesn’t know exactly where their loved one was kept, when they were taken, or where. It may take time. Don’t be in a hurry.
Agree on pauses, on having a close person present for support, and on a psychologist. All this helps to improve accuracy.
About security
Ask who is conducting the conversation, why, how your testimony will be stored, and who will have access to it. You have the right to agree or refuse to be recorded, to allow or prohibit the use of your name.
Do not publish details on social networks while the investigation is ongoing, and be careful with journalists and random intermediaries. Transfer materials only to verified organizations. Be especially careful if someone from your relatives or acquaintances is in the occupied territories: a publicized detail can hurt them.
Documentation cannot replace meetings with loved ones, and restore lost years. It preserves the words of those waiting and those who survived captivity so their stories don’t disappear behind dry numbers.
