The Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death 2016

The Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death (2016) is an updated version of the original UN Manual on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions of 1991 (commonly known as the Minnesota Protocol). The revised Protocol establishes detailed procedures for crime-scene investigations, interviews of suspects and witnesses, the excavation of graves, post-mortem examinations, and the analysis of skeletal remains. Such investigations, along with subsequent accountability processes, play a vital role in upholding the right to life. The new Protocol is an indispensable tool to guide investigations into suspicious deaths, ensure accountability for violations of the right to life, and bring truth and justice to the families of victims. It is aimed at police officers, medical practitioners, lawyers, judicial officers, NGOs and others involved in death investigations, setting a common standard of performance in the investigation of potentially unlawful death.