How Syria’s War Crimes Are Investigated? Kornelia Georgieva Explains
The Intelligence Spotlight series recently featured Kornelia Georgieva, a seasoned intelligence analyst with over a decade of experience in international justice and accountability. Her career spans the United Nations’ International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism on Syria (IIIM), the Commission of Inquiry on Syria, and the Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA). In conversation with host Qais Alamdar, Kornelia explained how open-source intelligence (OSINT) and new technologies are transforming the investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
From Arabic Studies to International Justice
Kornelia’s path into international investigations was shaped by the Arab Spring. As a student in Jordan in 2011, she witnessed mass protests and state responses first-hand. That experience pushed her towards human rights and justice work. Her first role with CIJA focused on documenting atrocities in Syria. It was here that she encountered the emerging world of OSINT, drawing inspiration from early investigations by Bellingcat. The blend of language expertise, regional knowledge and digital investigation skills soon positioned her at the forefront of international accountability work.
Syria: The Most Documented Conflict in History
Syria has been described as one of the most heavily documented conflicts of modern times. Videos, photos, witness testimonies and NGO archives provide investigators with an unparalleled volume of evidence. Yet, as Kornelia explained, more does not always mean easier. “It’s both a blessing and a curse,” she noted. Limited resources, from trained analysts to software capacity, mean investigators must sift through overwhelming amounts of digital material: multimedia files, particularly video and images, present major challenges for analysis and organisation.
One of the most significant examples of the impact of digital evidence in the context of universal jurisdiction cases is the Caesar file—a collection of photographs smuggled out of Syria that revealed systematic torture and abuse of detainees. These images were later used in landmark trials in Germany under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows national courts to prosecute grave crimes committed abroad. The Koblenz trial against former Syrian officials highlighted how digital evidence can bring accountability when international mechanisms such as the International Criminal Court are blocked.
The Role of Technology and AI in Investigations
Technological progress has revolutionised data retrieval and analysis. Tools for e-discovery, metadata management and multilingual search allow investigators to navigate millions of records more efficiently. Kornelia highlighted techniques such as “fuzzy searching”, which helps overcome challenges in transliteration from Arabic and other languages.
At the same time, she warned against over-reliance on artificial intelligence. While AI-powered translation, transcription and pattern recognition tools can assist analysts, they often fail in underrepresented regions like Syria, Afghanistan or Sudan. “AI can present information in a highly confident manner, but without context and nuance,” she cautioned. For investigations that must stand up in court, human judgment remains irreplaceable.
Coping With the Human Cost
Beyond the technical challenges, investigating atrocity crimes carries a heavy emotional toll. Analysts and researchers are exposed daily to graphic material and survivor testimony. Kornelia stressed the importance of recognising and addressing vicarious trauma through personal coping strategies and institutional support. Without this, professionals risk burnout or long-term psychological harm.
The Future of Accountability
Despite the challenges, Kornelia remains committed to the pursuit of justice. Emerging technologies offer powerful tools, but they must be applied critically and responsibly. The growing use of universal jurisdiction demonstrates that even when international politics blocks formal justice mechanisms, accountability is still possible.
As conflicts continue to generate vast amounts of digital evidence, the careful integration of OSINT, human expertise and technological innovation will be key to ensuring that survivors’ voices are heard and perpetrators face justice.
