Impunity, international justice and the journalist’s dilemma: Philippe Sands in conversation with Reed Brody

In an era marked simultaneously by historic advances in international justice and by the brazen commission of atrocity crimes, journalists face a profound challenge: how to report on a global legal system whose rulings grow more progressive even as their enforcement appears increasingly fragile. In this interview, world-renowned lawyer, scholar, author and “storyteller” Philippe Sands—whose work spans the Pinochet case, the origins of crimes against humanity and genocide, and the evolving contours of accountability from Nuremberg to the present—speaks with Reed Brody, veteran investigator of dictators and counsel to atrocity survivors.
Drawing on his new book 38 Londres Street : On Impunity, Pinochet in England, and a Nazi in Patagonia, Sands will explore what the resurgence of impunity means for the press: how can reporters make sense of a world in which the International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Putin and Netanyahu while the invasion of Ukraine and the carnage in Gaza continue unabated? Are we witnessing the impotence of international law——or the turbulence of a system still taking shape? What should journalists know about the modern architecture of accountability: the various courts and tribunals, the distinction between crimes against humanity and genocide, head-of-state immunity, and the enduring significance of what Sands calls “the Pinochet moment”?
For journalists covering conflict and international affairs, this conversation offers a rare opportunity to hear two of the field’s most experienced practitioners reflect on the forces shaping today’s atrocity reporting. Together, Sands and Brody will discuss how reporters can navigate the gap between legal principle and political reality, and how the stories they tell can illuminate (or obscure) the struggle between accountability and impunity that defines our time.