A/HRC/40/CRP.1 Individual cases and incidents reflected in this report are therefore based on at least one credible direct source of information, which was independently corroborated by at least one or more credible source(s) of information. Where the report describes patterns of conduct, these are based on several credible direct sources of information, which are consistent with, and corroborated by, the overall body of credible information collected. In the few instances where this standard of proof could not be met, but the Commission still considered it appropriate to reflect the incident or pattern, identifying the underlying sources, and nothing the requirement for further investigations. The Commission considered the following to be sources of direct information: • Interviews of victims, their families, and eyewitnesses with direct knowledge of the issues, incidents, and trends, who were assessed by the Commission to be credible and reliable and the information valid; • Medical examinations of witnesses who alleged torture, ill-treatment or injury during detention or military operations. Confidential reports are prepared after forensic analysis of medical and psychological findings in terms of consistency with the witness’s testimony; • Satellite imagery analysis from reliable sources, authenticated video and photo material, and other documents containing direct information from a reliable source; • Publicly available admissions of relevant facts by the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/ Army (SPLA/M),4 the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/ Army in Opposition (SPLA/M-IO), or other opposition groups; • Laws, policies and directives of the Government of South Sudan and the SPLA/M as well as internal documents, provided that they were received from a credible and reliable source and their authenticity could be confirmed; and • Statistics, surveys, situation reports, and other quantitative information generated by the United Nations, to the extent that the data is based on an apparently sound methodology and the inputs underlying the data are considered valid and originating from a credible and reliable source. The Commission relied on the following types of information for the purposes of corroborating information from direct sources and providing the overall context to violations: • Confidential interviews of witnesses who received the information directly from a person known to them, and where the Commission assessed the source to be credible and reliable and the information to be valid; • Witness testimony and analysis contained in publications or in submissions by the United Nations, research institutes and human rights organisations, where the Commission assessed the source to be credible and reliable and the information to be valid; and • Descriptions of patterns of conduct contained in public reports, submissions, books, documentaries and similar materials, where the Commission assessed the source to be credible and reliable and the information to be valid. The reliability and credibility of each source was carefully assessed by the Commission. This assessment took into account, amongst other considerations, the following: • The witness’ political and personal interests and potential biases; • The witness’ capacity to correctly recall events, considering his or her age, trauma, how far back the events occurred, etc.; • The position of the witness in relation to the subject of the information; 4 8 On 2 October 2018, President Kiir issued a Presidential Order changing the name of the SPLA to the “South Sudan People’s Defence Forces” (SSPDF). While the Commission notes this change, for consistency and to aid in comprehension, throughout this Report, it continues to refer to the SSPDF by its former name, the SPLA, including in relation to incidents that took place after 2 October. See Presidential Order No. 18/2018 for the Transformation and the Change of Name of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to the South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF).