Science
Providing DNA testing and legal assistance to prisoners who may have been wrongly accused of a crime
The Innocence Project, established in clinics and law schools throughout the United States, assists prisoners who seek to challenge their convictions based on DNA testing of evidence. Project members provide free assistance to inmates who have viable claims of innocence and for whom DNA analysis of evidence can yield conclusive proof of innocence. They also provide courses on investigating and bringing to court post-conviction claims of innocence, and work on both state and national levels to develop legislation allowing easier access to post-conviction DNA testing.
Working with local communities in the forensic investigation of genocide
The Guatemalan Anthropological Team (EAFG) coordinates its efforts to exhume the victims of genocide and investigate their deaths with the local indigenous populations. This helps the families and communities of the victims to confront the tragedies and their own grief while learning what happened to their loved ones.
Performing independent postmortem examinations to document cases of torture
The Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) was established in 1995, after the Kenya Medical Association issued a press statement asserting that no torture took place in Kenya. The IMLU is a network of independent doctors and lawyers who challenge official reports of deaths in custody by performing postmortem examinations to document suspected cases torture and providing medical and legal aid to prisoners and survivors of torture. Clients who want a postmortem on family members first complete a Post-Mortem Request Form and, because of IMLU’s network throughout the country, doctors who live nearest to the victim quickly administer postmortems. Results are carefully documented according to medical and legal guidelines. IMLU encourages clients to seek legal redress when evidence of torture is discovered. For clients who cannot afford a lawyer, IMLU refers them to a network of lawyers and NGOs providing pro bono legal services. Their goal is to pursue public interest cases that will set a precedent against the use of torture and send a message to perpetrators of torture.
Distributing air quality testing equipment to community members to promote environmental justice
Since 1995, many communities across the United States have begun or joined “Bucket Brigades,” programs that instruct communities near industrial polluters how to build and use simple air monitoring devices, or “buckets.” In the absence of strong environmental laws, standards, or environmental enforcement bodies, buckets give communities the means to independently monitor the air quality of their neighborhoods and provide them with the evidence to effectively advocate for environmental justice. The “bucket” itself is a relatively simple and inexpensive air sampling device composed of a Tedlar sampling bag housed inside a five gallon plastic bucket and a vacuum or tire pump used to suck air into the sampling bag. The “Bucket Brigade” includes volunteer members test for air quality in their community. Samples are tested, and results are recorded in a database and provided to the community through local media, community meetings and other methods. Community members are expected to use the data collected at their own discretion, to request further investigations on pollution from community groups, government agencies, and health facilities. Bucket Brigades have found that businesses and government agencies are more likely to respond to community concerns when they know people are organized and aware about exactly what pollutants their communities are facing.
Using forensics to investigate human rights abuses
The Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team developes new techiniqes of identifying the remains of the disappeared by excavating cadavers and using physical evidence, such as dental records, to match known characteristics of missing persons. The project originated with assistance from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and in turn assisted developing similar forensic teams in Guatemala and El Salvador.
For a detailed exploration of this tactic, please consult our tactical notebook, "Uncovering the Evidence" by Luis Fondebrider. To view the notebook, copy the following URL and paste it into your web browser: http://www.newtactics.org/en/UncoveringtheEvidence
For a detailed exploration of this tactic, please click on the following link to consult our tactical notebook, <b><a href="http://www.newtactics.org/en/UncoveringtheEvidence">Uncovering the Evidence</a></b> by Luis Fondebrider.
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