"Burundi's exit underscores the limits of the ICC's effectiveness. One of the primary justifications for the court's existence is that it might deter mass atrocities, in the world at large and in the specific conflicts in which it intervenes. But the evidence on the court's impact is mixed, and the incentives actors face are complex. In Burundi, the effect of nearly two years of focused international engagement seems to have been not to prevent further violence against civilians but to inspire Burundi's leaders to hide the violations better, while also distancing themselves from the international community."