Open-Source Practitioner’s Guide to the Murad Code
The Open-Source Practitioner’s Guide to the Murad Code translates the minimum standards of the Murad Code into standards and practices for practitioners who search for or use online digital open-source information and may intentionally or unintentionally handle information related to systematic and conflict-related sexual violence (SCRSV) during online inquiries or investigations.
Developed by the Institute for International Criminal Investigations (IICI) and the Human Rights Center at the Berkeley School of Law in partnership with leading experts, practitioners, and survivors of SCRSV, the resource provides actionable guidance for investigators, human rights researchers, journalists, analysts and civil society organisations that work with online open-source material.
The aim of the Guide is to help practitioners recognise and consider critical legal, ethical, human rights and practical issues related to open-source information – and take thoughtful, pre-emptive preparatory actions – in order to avoid harming survivors and others and ensure that the open-source research work is effective.
About this Guide
The Open-Source Practitioner’s Guide operationalises the Murad Code's minimum standards through three investigation phases: preparation, investigation and verification and reporting. It addresses critical issues including:
Legal and ethical considerations, particularly regarding child sexual abuse material
Risk assessment and mitigation strategies for physical, digital, and psychosocial security
Building trauma-aware, survivor-centered investigation protocols
Data minimisation and responsible preservation practices
Verification methods that counter bias and misinformation
Consent considerations for using publicly available information