The Council of Europe Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT) has co-produced a pivotal publication on the use of information collected in conflict zones as evidence in terrorism trials.

The aim of this publication is to provide practical guidance for practitioners to assist in investigations and prosecutions of crimes of terrorism and other related crimes – including violations of international humanitarian law committed in the context of armed conflicts.

The Council of Europe adopted a pioneering recommendation in March 2022 to regulate the collection and use of information from conflict zones. As a next step, a practical tool to help implement the recommendation has now been produced. This singular resource, entitled “Comparative Practices on the Use of Information Collected in Conflict Zones as Evidence in Criminal Proceedings”, aims to provide guidance on how to use information from conflict zones effectively to advance justice and accountability, in accordance with national laws and relevant international human rights and rule of law standards.

In the “Comparative Practices” publication, practitioners will find answers to important questions, such as what type of information may be available, where one may look for information both at national and international level, and how such information should be verified and thereafter presented in court.

The publication was prepared through collaboration between the Council of Europe Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT) and the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ).