Political/country adviser Investigations can benefit from the expertise of persons who have in-depth political knowledge of the country/region which is the subject of the commission’s/mission’s investigation. Expertise can cover a range of issues, including cultural awareness, influential actors, informal networks, political assessment, geographical influence, relationships with other countries and the role of the business elite. Forensic experts It is important to determine what kind of forensic expertise is necessary to investigate incidents that the commission/mission identified as a priority. For instance, if the inquiry concerns torture and recent killings, then the advice of a forensic pathologist may be necessary. If it concerns mass graves, then archaeologists and/or anthropologists may help. Military analyst/military weapons expert Investigations dealing with armed conflict situations will benefit from the advice and support of a military analyst and a weapons expert. They should have the skills and experience to assess the weapons and the manner in which they were used in the conflict, and, for example, whether there has been an indiscriminate attack on a civilian population. Military experts could also assist in defining the command structure of the military or armed groups for the purposes of accountability for violations. Crime analyst/police adviser Expertise relating to organized crime, police work, including crowd control, or similar issues may be helpful to some investigations, for example, to determine if police action in the specific circumstances was reasonable, justified and proportional. Weapons experts can also assist in assessing the appropriateness of the use of firearms by police. Researchers Specialized research knowledge that the human rights investigators do not have may become necessary in some cases, for example, on the plundering of natural resources or deforestation and its impact on human rights. Specialist researchers may also be recruited to conduct research in specific languages relevant to the inquiry. 26 COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY AND FACT-FINDING MISSIONS ON INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN LAW