• Ensuring that the interview cannot be overheard by others and that curious people are not observing the interview; • Not mentioning during the interview the names of other persons who have been interviewed or explicitly referring to information they have provided. When concluding the interview, it is essential for the investigator to: • Obtain informed consent on the use and sharing of the information provided;69 the type of consent given by the interviewee should be clearly stated on the interview report; • Discuss with the interviewee what preventive or protective measures he or she may take to avoid any reprisals as a result of the interaction with the investigator; • Clearly inform the interviewee of the limitations of the commission/mission in providing protection if he or she faces threats or is subjected to reprisals; • Provide the interviewee with useful contacts in the community that could offer different types of assistance (e.g., protection networks) and/or of local authorities, if these can be trusted, and/or of the local United Nations office, if it has agreed to assist; • Provide the interviewee with a local mobile phone number to make contact for the duration of the commission’s/mission’s presence in the country, and contacts outside the country as well. 4. PROTECTION OF INFORMATION The protection of information is closely related to the protection of cooperating persons. Secure information management systems, with controlled access, should be set up to store, manage and protect confidential and sensitive information. Only staff who require access to such information for their work should be authorized to do so. Commissions/missions usually use the database provided by OHCHR to register and safely store information, documents, photographs and video material. Investigators should consider which of the methods (notebooks, computers, cameras, audio and video recorders) can ensure the highest level of security given the overall context in which the investigation is taking place. As it is often most convenient for investigators to use notebooks to record information, they should ensure that the identity and the personal details of interviewees are protected and kept separately from the interview report. Cameras and audio or video recorders may be used only with the express consent of the interviewee, and in situations where they do not present additional security concerns, especially as interviewees may be identified from images or their voices. Extra care is needed to protect information recorded on such devices and investigators should avoid capturing images of the face of an interviewee. 69 The standard database developed by OHCHR for use by commissions/missions includes options for consent by interviewees. GUIDANCE AND PRACTICE 79