lachoices.blogg.se - Diplomatic immunity laws can u arrest

African Digital Diplomacy and Governance.

This less extreme form of protection would still prevent diplomats from being harassed while working in a host country, but wouldn't have as much potential for abuse of power. However, it is under increasing scrutiny, and the idea of turning into "functional immunity" has been bandied about. If things get really dicey with a diplomat, a host country can declare that person "persona non grata." This means the person is not welcome in the host country and should skedaddle home immediately.įor many people, diplomacy is a proud and honored tradition. Their home country can waive diplomatic immunity so a host country can prosecute them. However, this usually happens only when heinous crimes have been committed.ĭiplomats don't always get away scot-free, though. In theory, if a diplomat broke the law of his or her original country, the person should be extradited back to that country. But, the diplomat probably won't be charged with a crime because that person is still operating under the laws of the original country.

This may seem like a sweet deal, at least for the diplomats, but under the United Nations' 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Immunity, someone with diplomatic immunity can be arrested in a host country. This diplomatic immunity includes not only the embassy, but also diplomatic vehicles, houses and offices. This concept contends that the sovereign soil of a nation extends into a host nation and makes a visiting nation's embassy immune to local laws. For example, King of Persia Darius I decided not to kill a couple of Spartan emissaries despite Spartan leaders kicking Darius' emissaries into a bottomless pit.Īnother tenet of diplomatic immunity is extraterritoriality. In fact, diplomatic immunity has become so ingrained in international relations that even when some parties fail to uphold its tenets, others will step in and decide not to retaliate. In other words, "don't kill the messenger."

Personal inviolability means that diplomats or people on diplomatic missions should not be injured, detained or killed when on official business.