Justice as a process: rethinking human rights journalism in a polarised world

In Ukraine, the Public Interest Journalism Lab (PIJL) focuses on exposing human rights abuses, notably through war crimes documentation at The Reckoning Project since the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. It has adapted its approach to human rights journalism, recognizing that traditional advocacy journalism may no longer work in polarized environments, where human rights are politicized and audiences are at risk of emotional manipulation, compassion fatigue and the growing issue of victimhood competition. This was especially evident not just in the case of Ukraine but also in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where classic advocacy only resonated with those who already sympathized.
Over the past two years, we've come to realize that human rights journalism is most efficient when it serves the victims and this can be done in multiple ways.
This session will focus on how to move beyond advocacy and ensure our work is truly beneficial to those whose rights have been violated. What journalistic tools and activities can be useful for the survivors?
We collect testimonies of war crimes so they’re used for films, articles, and media content but also can be used by prosecutors and courts – both local and international. However, what happens in the interim, when survivors and witnesses may feel abandoned as legal processes can take years? Is formal justice enough, and what if it is never achieved? What happens between the commission of the crime and the court's verdict?
We view justice as a process. We are not human rights defenders to provide legal aid, but we adapt journalistic methods and activities to support survivors, which can be used in various contexts.
On an individual level, the trauma-informed approach adopted by our journalists helps facilitate healing by providing a safe space for survivors to voice and share their worst experiences. This will be addressed by PIJL partner Gavin Rees from the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma.
On the community level, PIJL organises Town Hall type meetings – facilitated closed and public discussions in the communities – focused on co-existence between survivors and perceived collaborators in de-occupied regions; honest talks between the victims and law enforcement agents, as well as best practices of memorialization involving residents and state officials.
Finally, already in the third year after the full-scale invasion, we began using materials to design future memorials and spaces of memory to preserve the stories and truth not only for future generations but also to create a space for survivors where they can engage and feel their experiences are already recognized and will be preserved.
Moderated by Angelina Kariakina.