On 17–19 February 2026, a workshop on the use of open source intelligence tools (OSINT) for the collection of electronic evidence in war crimes for journalists, media and civil society was held within the framework of the Council of Europe CyberUA project and “Safeguarding Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Media in Ukraine – Phase II”, in cooperation with the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U).
The workshop brought together representatives from the media, investigative journalism projects, civil society organisations and analytical institutions from different regions of Ukraine who are already engaged in documenting war crimes against Ukraine. The activity provided participants with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the requirements for collecting electronic evidence, ensuring its integrity and admissibility, as well as applying OSINT in the search and documentation of evidence.
During the workshop, the mandate and activities of the Register of Damage for Ukraine were presented, highlighting its role as the first step in the international compensation mechanism established by the Council of Europe.
Participants were introduced to the legal and procedural requirements for electronic evidence, including issues of authenticity and preservation. Discussions focused on the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) and its Second Additional Protocol, which provide the international legal framework for the collection and exchange of electronic evidence.
The role of HUMINT (human intelligence) in OSINT investigations was also explored as a complementary approach enabling the collection of additional information from the online environment.
The workshop enhanced cooperation between national and local media and civil society organizations actively working to document war crimes in accordance with international standards.
- CyberUA project
- “Safeguarding Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Media in Ukraine – Phase II”
- Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U)
- C-PROC webpage
- Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)
- Second Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime
