Begin with safety and agency
Do not put yourself or another person at risk to obtain information. Immediate threats require locally available emergency or professional assistance where safe. GEWA's educational pages are not an emergency or incident-receiving service.
A person may choose not to share an account publicly. A witness or representative should distinguish firsthand knowledge from information received elsewhere and consider whether they have authority to share another person's experience.
Record only what is necessary
Where documentation is appropriate, a broad location, approximate period and connection to political activity may be more useful and safer than unnecessary personal detail. Do not require names, residential addresses, identity documents or traumatic narrative.
Keep observation separate from interpretation. Acknowledge uncertainty and avoid presenting an allegation as a verified finding. Repetition of the same account is not evidence of separate incidents.
Separate contact, review and publication
Permission to receive an account is not permission to publish it. Optional follow-up contact and public use of a redacted summary are distinct decisions. Removing a name may not prevent identification through context.
Before sharing material, consider who can access it, how long it may be retained and whether it contains other people's information. Responsible public knowledge depends on both evidential integrity and respect for the people involved.