Check First helps Armenian CSOs and journalists to protect election integrity
In partnership with the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), the Swedish agency for peace, security and development, we spent a week in Yerevan, Armenia, helping Armenian civil society organisations and journalists strengthen their defences against foreign manipulation.
Election time often provides fertile ground for disinformation campaigns, and Armenia is no exception. To counter this constraint to democracy, journalists and civil society organisations (CSOs) must be prepared. That’s when we come in. At Check First, our goal is to train and equip every stakeholder of the community fighting disinformation.
From 10 to 14 October, we travelled to Yerevan, Armenia, to deliver training to journalists, civil society representatives and members of the Central Electoral Commission and the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Republic of Armenia. The aim was to help them develop OSINT skills in preparation for the 2026 parliamentary elections. All of the sessions were organised in partnership with the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), the Swedish agency for peace, security and development.
OSINT and FIMI simulation
Firstly, during a two-hour workshop, we introduced about fifteen participants to OSINT, with the essential practises and resources to effectively gather, analyse, and utilise publicly available information. After this session, trainees were introduced to a range of techniques to detect harmful or misleading online content and then took part in a simulated investigation exercise using our Oppi platform. Finally, they had the occasion to consolidate what they had learnt by doing a time-limited investigative assignment requiring the detection and analysis of coordinated inauthentic campaigns.
What’s next?
Following these sessions, we will continue supporting CSOs and journalists as they pursue investigations into attempts to disrupt the elections. Drawing on our extensive experience in this field, we will help deepen and reinforce the skills participants developed during our workshops. Check First once again extends its gratitude to FBA for the opportunity to contribute to strengthening the protection of Armenia’s electoral integrity.
Want to learn top-notch OSINT skills? Reach out at contact@checkfirst.network
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