Media Diversity Institute and The Reckoning Project (TRP) have released a handbook to empower journalists and fact-checkers in conflict reporting in the age of disinformation.
The Truth Frontline Handbook asks a practical question – How can journalists establish, document and report war crimes when the information environment surrounding those crimes is deliberately manipulated?
Rising conflicts fuels need for handbook
The Handbook’s release comes as conflicts are increasing across the globe, with the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) saying 2025 had the highest number of conflicts since records began in 1946. PRIO says the world is experiencing more than a decade of persistently high levels of violence, with its Conflict Trends: A Global Overview, 1946–2025 documenting eight interstate conflicts in 2025 – twice as many as the previous year and the highest number recorded since 1946. In total, 65 state-based conflicts were recorded across 35 countries in 2025 – also the highest number since records began in 1946.
Finding facts and reporting the truth has become more difficult with Artificial Intelligence fuelling mis- and disinformation, especially in conflicts.
The purpose of the Handbook is to help journalists deal with these challenges without losing sight of the basic principles of accurate, independent and public interest journalism.
Verification
Journalists can’t just report information on war crimes in conflict zones, they have to verify what can be verified. They also should be able to understand legal and human context, to judge reliability of sources and evidence, and always responsibly report about people who are vulnerable, traumatised or at risk.
At the same time, journalists and fact-checkers often come across propaganda and disinformation narratives justifying violence and aggression, perpetuate shift blame, discredit victims and witnesses, manipulate evidence or create alternative explanations of events.
“People who are already marginalised or disadvantaged are often the ones most vulnerable to disinformation. And in times of conflict, they can easily become targets, be falsely blamed for the conflict, or be reduced to stereotypes, disinformation campaigns, and simplified, often discriminatory narratives. Responsible conflict reporting must go beyond simply avoiding stereotypes about the ‘Other’. We as journalists have to listen to those excluded, disadvantaged, and marginalised voices,” said Milica Pešić, MDI Executive Director.
The Handbook aims to equip journalists with the skills to recognise disinformation narratives that can be used to justify aggression, shift blame, dehumanise opponents, undermine trust, deepen social divisions and create fear.
It provides checklists and advice for journalists and fact-checkers including:
- Do not start with the conclusion, start with the evidence.
- Establish the facts as carefully as possible, use accurate legal terminology, provide context, acknowledge uncertainty and make editorial decisions that can be explained and defended.
- Be aware that most conflicts are surrounded by perpetuating disinformation campaigns, false claims, and discriminatory language.
- Be prepared not to publish.
Responsibility of journalists
The role of journalists is not simply to decide whether something is “true” or “false” but to also understand how information is being used and ask who is communicating it, what evidence supports it, how it is being framed, why it is circulating and what it may be trying to make audiences believe or do.
As the Handbook states: identify the claim, uncover the underlying narrative, examine the emotions and divisions it exploits, verify the evidence and consider its potential impact. Good conflict reporting exposes the structure of a disinformation narrative without becoming part of the narrative itself.
“What makes this Handbook unique is that it brings together two perspectives shaped by the experience of war and war crimes: journalism and law. Journalists need to inform the public without causing further harm, while reporting in a way that preserves evidence and can contribute to future accountability,” said Mykhaylo Shtekel, TRP’s Media Partnership Manager.
He added: “In our work, we have seen how easy it is to underestimate both the complexity of propaganda and the legal nuances of war crimes reporting. This Handbook is designed to help journalists recognise manipulation, avoid becoming unwitting channels for coordinated disinformation, and report more accurately, responsibly and safely.”
Accessing the Handbook
The Truth Frontline Handbook is for journalists, editors, fact checkers, researchers and other media professionals reporting on conflicts, war crimes and violations of international law.
It is produced as a continuation of the trainings offered by The Reckoning Project (TRP) and Media Diversity Institute (MDI) in 2026, and it was designed as part of “Media, Justice, and Social Cohesion for Ukraine” project implemented by the Reckoning Project (TRP) and funded by European Union.
The Handbook is free to read here.
