Sexual assault and indecent publicity are among the many crimes alleged to have been dedicated by folks with diplomatic immunity final 12 months.
The Foreign Office has revealed that, in 2023, 9 severe and vital offences have been allegedly carried out by abroad officers who’re exempt from being prosecuted.
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A “severe offence” has been outlined as one thing that might carry a penalty of 12 months’ imprisonment or extra, in keeping with authorities minister Catherine West, who confirmed the info in a Written Ministerial Assertion.
Beneath diplomatic conventions enshrined in worldwide regulation, officers with a diplomatic service primarily based abroad are granted numerous immunities. The extent to which they, or their relations, are immune from prosecution relies on how senior they’re.
In 2023, severe offences dedicated included: An Iraqi accused of possession or distribution of indecent pictures of kids; a Libyan accused of sexual assault; a Portuguese particular person accused of indecent publicity and somebody from Singapore going through an accusation of kid cruelty or neglect.
A Fijian and a Pakistani have been additionally accused of driving with out insurance coverage; whereas diplomats from Ghana, Libya and Mongolia have been accused of assault.
Ms West stated: “Round 26,500 persons are entitled to diplomatic or worldwide organisation-related immunity within the UK and the overwhelming majority of diplomats and dependants abide by UK regulation.
“The variety of alleged severe offences dedicated by members of the diplomatic neighborhood within the UK is proportionately low.”
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She stated the Overseas Workplace “doesn’t tolerate international diplomats or dependants breaking the regulation” and when crimes are dropped at their consideration, “we ask the related international authorities or worldwide organisation to waive immunity, the place acceptable, to facilitate additional investigation”.
“For probably the most severe offences, and when a related waiver has not been granted, we request the fast withdrawal of the diplomat or dependant.”
Among the many international governmental workers for whom immunity was claimed was US spy Anne Sacoolas, who fled the UK after killing teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn in Northamptonshire in 2019. The UK wished her returned to face trial however the US state division resisted. Finally, she was tried remotely, whereas remaining within the US.
The minister additionally set out the fines and taxes owed by diplomatic missions, together with over £152m in unpaid London congestion fees from its introduction in 2003 till the tip of September 2024.
The US owed £15m of that total, whereas Japan owed £10m and China £9m.
Ms West stated: “Officers have common contact with diplomatic missions and worldwide organisations within the UK about excellent nationwide non-domestic charges (NNDR) funds, excellent parking high-quality debt and unpaid London congestion cost debt, to press for fee of excellent debt and fines.”
