Episode 21 of Borderlines features the president of the International Criminal Court, Judge Piotr Hofmański, sharing his unique perspective with host Katerina Linos, on the ICC’s role and mandate over twenty years since its historic founding in 2002. Elected an ICC judge in 2015 and voted president by his peers in 2021, President Hofmański guides listeners through the Court’s key responsibilities under the Rome Statute: prosecuting genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression; giving victims a voice and just restitution; and preventing future atrocities.

The conversation elucidates the relationship of the ICC to the United Nations and to national jurisdictions as a court of last resort. Challenges, successes, and criticisms are addressed, from the Court’s indictment of more than 50 individuals including heads of state, to the changing signatory and ratification positions of the United States, to ways technological developments impact evidence gathering and witness participation. Addressing the vital importance of fighting impunity, President Hofmański’s confidence in the collective power of international criminal law provides a path of optimism during troubled times and ongoing lethal territorial conflicts.