2025 Amnesty International Digital Forensics Fellowship for Emerging Leaders (£500 Monthly Stipend)
The Amnesty International Digital Forensics Fellowship is a prestigious program that offers fellows the opportunity to develop their expertise in digital forensics while contributing to the organization’s mission of promoting and protecting human rights. The fellowship is designed for individuals with a strong interest in using digital evidence to investigate human rights abuses, particularly in conflict zones or areas where government repression or violence against civilians is prevalent. Fellows are trained to use cutting-edge digital forensic tools and techniques to analyze, verify, and document digital evidence, such as images, videos, and satellite imagery, to help uncover violations of human rights.
Amnesty International is committed to using digital forensics as a means of gathering credible and reliable evidence to support human rights advocacy, legal cases, and public awareness campaigns. Digital forensics plays a critical role in verifying the authenticity of online content, identifying perpetrators of violence, and holding governments and non-state actors accountable for their actions. Fellows in this program work closely with Amnesty’s Crisis and Technology teams, applying their skills to investigate human rights violations and contribute to the organization’s global efforts to advocate for justice and accountability.

The Digital Forensics Fellowship is typically a highly competitive program, and applicants are expected to have a strong academic background in subjects such as human rights, international law, or technology, along with practical skills in digital investigation, cybersecurity, or data analysis. Knowledge of forensic tools and techniques used for verifying digital content, such as video analysis software and geo-spatial analysis, is also highly beneficial. Applicants are often required to demonstrate a commitment to human rights, a passion for social justice, and the ability to work under pressure in fast-paced environments.
During the fellowship, participants receive hands-on training and mentorship from leading experts in digital forensics, gaining practical experience in real-world investigations. They may be involved in fieldwork, assisting with digital evidence gathering in various global locations or participating in remote investigations. Fellows are also responsible for analyzing digital data, writing reports on their findings, and contributing to Amnesty International’s advocacy campaigns aimed at influencing policy decisions and promoting accountability for human rights violations.
In addition to providing fellows with professional development opportunities, the program is part of Amnesty International’s broader commitment to advancing the use of technology in human rights work. By training the next generation of human rights defenders in digital forensics, Amnesty ensures that its team is equipped with the necessary tools and skills to tackle complex cases of abuse and injustice, often in the digital sphere where evidence can be easily manipulated or destroyed.
The fellowship is a unique opportunity for individuals who are passionate about both technology and human rights to make a tangible impact on global efforts to combat oppression, conflict, and human rights abuses. Fellows not only gain valuable skills and experience in digital forensics but also contribute to the broader mission of Amnesty International to defend human dignity, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that human rights are respected around the world.
This innovative Fellowship is an opportunity for 5 – 7 human rights defenders (HRDs), journalists, and/or technologists working in civil society organisations around the world to train with Amnesty Tech’s Security Lab to build skills and knowledge on advanced digital threats and forensic investigation techniques. This is a part-time Fellowship that will last 3-4 months and will come with a stipend.
Fellowship start and end date: The Fellowship is expected to run from April – July 2025.
Location: Global dependent upon the suitable applicant’s location.
Remuneration: Successful applicants will be given a stipend of £500/month for their time.
Since 2017, Amnesty Tech’s investigations have exposed vast and well-orchestrated digital attacks against activists and journalists in countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Serbia, Mexico and Pakistan.
Objectives and deliverables
- Participants in the Digital Forensics Fellowship will be expected to:
- Engage with the programme cohort and the Security Lab during the in-person and remote trainings, and in discussion groups on an ad-hoc basis.
- Attend an in-person, week-long convening where the majority of trainings will be conducted. This training will take place in June 2025, the exact location is set to be confirmed shortly.
- Dedicate approximately 10 – 12 hours per month to the Fellowship, outside of the convening, by participating in remote training sessions and through independent work outside of scheduled sessions to deepen understanding of training topics.
Essential Requirements For The Amnesty International Digital Forensics Fellowship
- An understanding of the technical threats, digital attacks and challenges faced by journalists, HRDs, and civil society organisations in their local contexts.
- Demonstrated interest in conducting investigations to identify digital attacks against civil society, with the goal of building resilience among civil society actors in the face of surveillance after the Fellowship.
- Familiarity using command line tools and basic knowledge of scripting languages like Bash and Python to analyse data.
- An understanding of how internet infrastructure works, for example the role of IP addresses, TLS certificates, and DNS queries.
- Technical familiarity with GNU/Linux operating systems, as well as Android and iPhone systems.
- Engaging with the English language as the primary language throughout the Fellowship.
Application instructions:
To apply, applicants will be required to submit the following via our recruitment system eArcu - please upload all relevant documents to the CV section of the application portal.
- A copy of your most recent CV.
- A cover letter explaining your motivation and interest in the Fellowship and outlining how you meet the essential requirements outlined in the job description.
Applications must be in PDF, Word, PowerPoint or Excel format.
Method of Application:
- Shortlisted applicants will be invited to complete a record video interview week commencing 10th February, answering a series of pre-set questions via video, which allows us to learn more about you and your suitability for the Fellowship.
- Successful applicants from this process will be invited to a Microsoft Teams interview with the panel week commencing 3rd March.
Application Deadline: : 23 January 2025.
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