The Reckoning Project Hosts How to Catch a War Criminal in the 21st Century at Yale University

On November 3, 2025, The Reckoning Project hosted How to Catch a War Criminal in the 21st Century at Yale University, a sold-out symposium that brought together leading practitioners, academics, and lawyers to explore how international justice is evolving in an age of digital evidence and disinformation.

The program began with a closed-door session on OSINT and digital forensics, where experts from Yale, The New York Times, and TRP shared methods for verifying and preserving digital evidence in war crimes investigations. The conversation highlighted the growing importance of open-source research, satellite imagery, and digital archiving in international justice.

Following welcoming remarks by David Simon, TRP's Board Chair and Director of Yale's Genocide Studies Program, and Janine di Giovanni, TRP's CEO, the day began with opening reflections from The New York Times' Christiaan Triebert. Drawing on his experience leading visual investigations, he spoke about the intersections between journalism, law, and technology, and how these disciplines can reinforce one another to expose truth and pursue justice.

The public sessions opened with a panel on the future of war crimes prosecution. Aslı Ü. Bâli, Reed Brody, Nick Leddy, and Nathaniel Raymond discussed civil society's growing role in international justice, the stagnation of the ICC in Palestine, expanding universal jurisdiction beyond Europe, and the importance of survivor-centered approaches to prosecution.

The second panel, Accountability and Lessons Learned, moderated by Janine, reflected on the Balkans and the early years of the ICTY. Ambassador Peter Galbraith, Velma Šarić, Garentina Kraja, and Kip Hale shared lessons from Bosnia and Kosovo, highlighting both the achievements and failures of post-war justice and the enduring gap between international verdicts and local reconciliation.

Colonel Serhii Bolvinov, Head of Investigations in Ukraine's Kharkiv Region, delivered remarks remotely from Ukraine, describing his team's daily work documenting Russian war crimes amid ongoing attacks.

In her keynote address, Janine di Giovanni reflected on three decades of documenting war crimes, from uncovering evidence in Sierra Leone to today's use of satellite imagery and digital archives in Ukraine. She spoke of the evolution from handwritten notes to data-driven investigations and urged renewed commitment in the current landscape of impunity. Her remarks underscored that justice depends not only on institutions but on persistence, those willing to document, expose, and remember.

The final discussion, moderated by TRP's Sudan Country Director Jehanne Henry, featured Sudanese lawyers and experts Quscondy Abdulshafi and Mutasim Ali. Anchored in the rapidly evolving situation in Al-Fashir, the conversation examined how civil society in Sudan is documenting atrocities and pressing for accountability when formal mechanisms falter. We will continue this conversation later this month with a webinar on Sudan, bringing together experts and practitioners for a deeper discussion on accountability.

Ambassador Peter Galbraith closed the symposium with reflections on the enduring pursuit of accountability. Drawing on decades of diplomatic and humanitarian experience, he spoke about the persistence required to bring justice in the face of political resistance and global fatigue. He reminded the audience that progress in international justice is never linear and that every tribunal, investigation, and survivor testimony moves the arc of accountability forward, affirming that justice may be slow but never without impact.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in New Haven or tuned in virtually. We will share a recording of the symposium on our website soon.