Launched by the Civil Forum for Asset Recovery (CiFAR) in June 2021, "Investigate - The Manual" is a guide designed to provide an overview of state of the art practices in investigative journalism, with a focus on illicit financial flows and asset recovery.
"Investigate - The Manual" is the result of over three years of collaboration between the Civil Forum for Asset Recovery (CiFAR) and civil society organisations specialised in various fields of expertise relevant to the practice of journalism. - Our Exposing the Invisible team at Tactical Tech was responsible for writing the chapter on "Fundamental approaches to Digital Safety."
The manual has an introductory-to-intermediate level and it includes theoretical and research frameworks, investigative resources for deep web research, databases and access to information, as well as digital safety. It also includes three supporting case-studies as an illustration of the use of these tools and techniques, based on three investigative cross-border stories published by CIFAR trainees.
In paralel with the manual, CIFAR has also launched - Investigate - a new website with details of its journalism training programmes, alongside information on its trainees, their stories and a set of resources for those interested in working on cross-border corruption and asset recovery investigations.
Through Investigate, CIFAR's work with investigative journalists focuses on early-career journalists and aims to support them to develop their expertise in investigating and reporting on cases of grand corruption and the processes for returning that money. Its trainees then receive help to develop their investigative stories and to pitch and publish these in leading news outlets.
CIFAR is a non-profit organisation based in Germany and operating globally using investigative methods and capacity building to fulfil its mission to end cross-border corruption and to ensure transparency and accountability in the recovery of stolen assets. Read more about CIFAR on its website.
Related links:
- "Investigate - The Manual" (archived with Wayback Machine here)
- The Civil Forum for Asset Recovery (CiFAR) organisation website
- Investigate - CIFAR's training project website.
Hero image credit: screenshot from "Investigate - The Manual", CIFAR
