PART II 6 HOW TO CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW Be aware of the interviewee’s political position or any other kind of bias that may influence his or her statement. This may influence what is said and what is not said. For instance, an interviewee may not be willing to volunteer information on violations committed by the community or political parties to which he or she is affiliated. 6.2 BEGINNING THE INTERVIEW The beginning of the interview is the most critical point where an atmosphere of trust and confidence must be established between the interviewer and the interviewee in order to ensure effective communication during the interview. Interviews should be conducted in as private and confidential a setting as possible, e.g., in a separate room or a location away from other people. It is preferable that interviews be conducted on a one-to-one basis unless the interviewee requests the presence of another person. If an interpreter is needed during the interview, you should look directly at the interviewee when asking questions and listening to the answers, so that the presence of the interpreter has as little impact as possible. Open the interview in a respectful manner, using some phrases in the local language if possible and using customary greetings that exist in that particular area. Identify yourself and describe what you do in the mission. Explain the mandate of the OSCE and its role in the country, what it can do, and what its limitations are. It is particularly important to avoid raising exaggerated expectations. Do not give victims or witnesses false or misleading assurances. Do not pledge any action by the mission or by the OSCE unless you are certain that action will be taken. Explain clearly the purpose of the interview and inform the interviewee how the information will be used. In most cases, the priority for the interviewee/complainant will be to resolve his or her problem as soon as possible. However, it may also happen that a person wishes to leave a statement in full anonymity and wants no action to be taken with the information. It may still be useful to take a statement, as this information, when combined with other information, will give a clearer picture of the situation in the country. It is important in a human rights interview that the person interviewed is given as much control as possible. The interviewee will decide independently how much information he or she wants to share and in what way. There is no need to put pressure on the interviewee 62