Publication

This paper examines the elements that make a document admissible as evidence within the context of transitional justice or dealing with past mechanisms such as truth commissions or reparation programs. The author argues that the authenticity and reliability of a document has to be evaluated in view of 1) the circumstances under which it is created, 2) the time when the document is created or received, 3) the uses of the document by the creating entity, and 4) the location of the document. She concludes that archivists should always consider these elements when deciding on whether a document can be a reliable foundation for building a truthful history of events.