Collaboration on archiving materials related to the war in Ukraine for the preservation of memory and the everyday experiences of its citizens, as well as their use for judicial purposes.
Mission
Hunting for the truth, chasing perpetrators, and leading expertise
We work
To establish justice for those who are victimized during armed conflicts.
To prevent the commission of international crimes.
Since 2014, Truth Hounds have been documenting and investigating international crimes and other serious human rights violations committed during the armed conflicts in Ukraine and other regions of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.
The video was created by the Clooney Foundation for Justice to mark the occasion of awarding the 2023 Albie Award presentation to Truth Hounds on September 28 in New York. The award was given to Ukrainian human rights defenders in the category Justice for Survivors for their significant contributions to investigating international crimes and restoring justice for those affected by Russian aggression
Clooney Foundation for Justice
What we do
Monitoring
Monitoring
Daily open-source monitoring and registering of incidents that could amount to war crimes have started with the full-scale invasion in February 2022. YouTube videos, Telegram posts, satellite imagery, media publications, and other footage published in open sources are being archived in our Monitoring Database for further verification and corroboration with other sources.
So far, we have recorded over
17629
such incidents.
The photo was taken by Truth Hounds field researchers during the survey of abandoned Russian military positions on the territory of the Visokopilia Central District Hospital.
Photo: Truth Hounds
Документування
Documenting
To provide credible grounds for official criminal proceedings, Truth Hounds collect as much evidence on the ground as possible.
Truth Hounds and IPHR field researchers interviewing a witness from the village of Petrushyn in a joint mission to the Chernihiv Oblast.
Photo: Daniel Rosenthal
We have carried out over
240
field missions in war zones and recorded over 5 000 testimonies from eyewitnesses to various atrocities.
Recognizing our expertise and professionalism, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies and international human rights actors regularly request Truth Hounds to conduct field missions so that the evidence collected can be integrated into official criminal cases.
Truth Hounds field researchers interviewing a witness of an attack on a civilian car near a Russian checkpoint in the village of Terekhivka in Chernihiv Oblast.
Фото: Daniel Rosenthal
Investigations
Investigations
Truth Hounds’ investigators identify and track down the specific individuals who are believed to bear responsibility for committing war crimes. To determine suspects, investigators use:
What is OSINT?
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) — is a way to find, extract and process information that is publicly available. In our case, for investigations. In the course of our work, we use satellite images, publications from the media, open information about specific individuals, such as personnel lists of units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. All this helps us build a high-quality line of investigation, and thus get closer to identifying the potential perpetrators of war crimes.
eyewitness and victim evidence
open
data
OSINT
This combination allows for greater accuracy of conclusions and makes a strong case for investigations and future trials.
We investigated
55+
potential war crimes.
A local man from Potiomkyne, Kherson region collects war “gifts” to send them to a scrapyard. Parts of 152-mm shells, MLRS “Grad” rockets and 120-mm mortar shell can be seen in the photo.
Photо: Johann Karl
Preserving and
systematization
Preserving and
systematization
All Truth Hounds verified information is entered into
the I-DOC database.
It currently comprises over
1767
incidents that have signs of war crimes.
What is I-DOC and why is that important?
Data collected during our field missions supplements or corrects documents from the monitoring database. Afterward, only verified files are entered into I-DOC, Truth Hounds’ evidence analysis database, adopted in 2018.
I-DOC contains eyewitness testimonies, varied footage, medical reports, and schemes of crime scenes, including detailed information on the circumstances of alleged war crimes, victims, and witnesses, as well as on persons suspected of committing these crimes. It is also a robust analytical tool, enabling to rapidly link stand-alone events with the persons involved in them.
I-DOC is used to build criminal cases in linked with International criminal law. The database was developed using the experiences of the ICC international crime investigations, its architecture echoes the logic of actions in such investigations.
We are ready to provide limited access to I-DOC to all authorized actors working to hold perpetrators accountable.
5075
identified war crimes victims.
Truth Hounds field researchers interview a witness in Petrushyn, Chernihiv Oblast.
Photo: Daniel Rosenthal
Working with
actors of justice
Work with national, foreign,
and international justice actors
Truth Hounds have become key advisors to many national investigative institutions and law enforcement agencies, guiding them in collecting and verifying evidence. Moreover, a significant part of the regional prosecutors’ war crime portfolio consists of cases built and supervised by the Truth Hounds team.
Training and Mentorship
Unification of prosecution strategies
Expanding and Strengthening Evidence
Training of Judges
Participating in Investigative Actions
Expanding the prospects of establishing justice, we also liaise with foreign investigative bodies and prosecutors on cases that could be opened on the principle of extraterritorial jurisdiction. Over the past few years, five proceedings on crimes committed in Ukraine — including the abduction and torture of civilians, as well as missile and cluster munitions attacks — have been initiated in other countries as a result of submissions by Truth Hounds.
Truth Hounds maintain fruitful cooperation with the International Criminal Court and have already sent nine submissions on various incidents.
Consequences of numerous shelling of the civilian population by Russian troops in Zalyman, Kharkiv Oblast.
Photo: Truth Hounds
Training
Training
To enhance quality in documentation and investigation, we host workshops and produce study guides for Ukrainian prosecutors, investigators, judges, and human rights actors who deal with war crimes. Hereby we contribute to prosecutors’ and investigators’ professional development in the field of IHL as well as to their ability to build stronger cases.
Since 2018 we have delivered
80+
trainings, educational events and lectures on international humanitarian law, documentation methods and international crime investigations.
всі наші навчальні модулі
all our training modules
all our training modules
all our training modules
Owing to robust collaboration we have an opportunity to track further education progress of the Ukrainian law enforcement officers in the field of international humanitarian law and international crime prosecution.
The local school in Solonchaky, Mykolaiv Oblast destroyed by a Russian missile.
Photo: Truth Hounds
Collaborations with media
We spread the truth about war crimes and share our expertise due to the cooperation with the media.
Donors
Truth Hounds — is a non-profit NGO. For our activities, we attract funds from different donors.
