How We Work

We combine on-the-ground investigations, trial monitoring, litigation in courts all over the world, and advocacy to wage justice for survivors of human rights abuses.

TrialWatch sends monitors to attend court hearings in cases, no matter how remote the location. We have seen how a monitor’s presence itself can have a direct impact: in proceedings against Abelino Chub in Guatemala, local partners relayed their view that the monitor’s presence affected the outcome of the case, and the defendant was ultimately acquitted.

The Docket uses open source intelligence, satellite and other imagery analysis, digital forensics, and other innovative methods to investigate international crimes including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. We collect witness testimony and obtain other evidence in the field.

Across all our work we engage in advocacy to ensure the successful initiation and development of legal action as well as long-lasting systemic change. We use a variety of legal tools to have decisions overturned, laws changed, and to defend vulnerable people. We target decision-makers in national governments, international bodies, and the corporate world to press for legal and policy reforms that strengthen accountability.

One of the tools used to disrupt these networks is targeted sanctions. When designed, implemented, and enforced thoughtfully and transparently, targeted network sanctions and other forms of disruption techniques can be a powerful tool in addressing a variety of threats to regional and international stability, including terrorism, nuclear proliferation, drug trafficking, organized crime, armed conflict, corruption, and human rights abuses.