Forensic Medical Expert

Physicians for Human Rights advocates that victims of violations of human rights and/or humanitarian law have a right to justice, the right to know the truth, and to have history recorded accurately in order to establish a historic record grounded in science and resistant to revisionism. Studying the medical history of the victim; Performing an autopsy to uncover evidence of injury; Assessing possible injuries and signs of abuse, even in the absence of specific denunciations or accusations; Ensuring that procedures regarding evidence collection are followed. Providing independent forensic expertise to collect evidence of human rights violations and of violation =s of international humanitarian law; Making court appearances; Establishing crucial medical findings and evidence that can be communicated to the judiciary and other appropriate bodies; Once all the evidence is analyzed, the forensic pathologist prepares a written report, and may also testify to these findings in court; Documenting the signs (physical and psychological) of a possible physical or psychological abuse; Interpreting the proofs obtained and deduce their possible causes; Pronouncing upon the extent to which medical proofs correlate with specific allegations made by the victim; Making effective use of the information obtained in order to document and publicize such practices and ensure that the legal and government authorities, at local, national and international level, are fully informed of the physical and psychological consequences of the type (or types) of torture used; Coordinating their work with legal experts, psychologists and social worker; To work on promoting the value and use of medical documentation of torture according to the international standards contained in the Istanbul Protocol, the common name for The Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. (Funded by the European Union)