Building Consensus on Satellite Imagery in Human Rights Investigations across Epistemic Communities: Insights from Journalism and Law

Abstract Satellite imagery has gained a paramount role in human rights investigations. Once the preserve of state intelligence agencies, the increase of commercially-available satellite imagery in recent years has enabled a broader range of actors to analyze earth observation data as part of their investigations. Investigative journalists were at the forefront of incorporating these techniques, with human rights organizations and international tribunals now utilizing satellite imagery as evidence of atrocity crimes. This article explores the alignment of practices from media and NGOs to courts, in order to discern best practices and shared challenges. Drawing on both data from a survey and legal documents, it provides unique perspectives from journalists and human rights practitioners working with satellite imagery and offers key insights from international criminal law. It explores issues around access to data; verification and preservation procedures, and the risks of misinterpretation and gaps. The article ends with recommendations mainly focused on three key facets of satellite imagery: understanding the source; verifying the imagery, and preserving the evidence.