Prepare a report in another language

Translation can help a report reach people who would otherwise miss it. It can also introduce new errors, especially in names and locations. Treat the translated version as another representation of the same report, with the same source and update process.

Create a stable source version

First agree on the original wording. Keep proper names, dates, locations, and the approved contact channel in a short reference list. Include alternative spellings only when there is a reason to believe people use them.

Ask a fluent reviewer to check the translation where possible. Automatic translation can be a starting point, but it should not decide the meaning of a sensitive phrase or invent missing context.

Check the details separately

Read every number and proper name against the source. Check that a date format cannot be mistaken for another day. Confirm that “possibly seen” has not become “was seen,” and that an approximate age still sounds approximate.

• Person's name and relevant spelling variants.
• Place names and recognizable landmarks.
• Event date and time zone.
• The public contact route.
• Any explicit uncertainty or safety instruction.

Link the versions together

Give both versions the same canonical report link and a visible update date. When an important fact changes, update the translations together instead of letting the oldest version keep circulating.

Do not claim a translated appeal was issued by an authority merely because its language looks formal. Identify who prepared it and preserve any limits on what may be shared.