What are the benefits of diplomatic immunity and how is it achieved?

Question

What are the benefits of diplomatic immunity and how is it achieved?

Answer 1

A little history: back in the 10th Century or so Chengis Khan sent an embassy of a number of distinguished persons to the court of the King of Pagan in what is now Burma.  The embassy announced the good news that the Great Khan in his beneficence was willing to accept Pagan as a vassal state as long as the king sent the usual annual tribute of gold, etc.  The King of Pagan, apparently unaware of who he was dealing with, found the proposal quite insulting and ordered every member of the embassy beheaded.  The Khan naturally dispatched an army to mercilessly sack and completely destroy Pagan, one of the greatest cultures of ancient Asia. Diplomatic immunity could have avoided this embarrassing episode.

Similarly, in modern times the principal benefit of diplomatic immunity is not to avoid traffic tickets or fines for parking in the wrong space but to protect diplomats from repercussions of their official activities that the host country might find offensive or deem illegal.  For example, many totalitarian countries have strict laws against any type of speech that might be interpreted as subversive.  Thus a foreign diplomat could be prosecuted for giving a press interview or speech expressing his/her country's official position if it were not welcome in the host country (ex: "We believe that the people of X should be allowed to choose their own leaders.").  Immunity allows diplomats to speak freely and to meet with dissident elements of a country that might be off-limits even to their own people.

Of course, when immunity is abused in the view of the host country the offending diplomat can be expelled "for activities inconsistent with his/her diplomatic duties," a euphemism applied both to intelligence activities and for speaking too freely on taboo topics in totalitarian societies.

It should also be noted that immunity is not automatically extended to all members of embassy or consulate staff, only those on the "diplomatic list."  Other officials can be granted immunity as well, but that is up to the receiving country.  Immunity can also be lifted from a diplomat by his/her sending country if an egregious act is committed (i.e., murder or something like that). That happens seldom if ever, although the offender is always recalled in the interests of preserving both relations and reputation.

Answer 2

Diplomatic immunity is granted by the host country for a specific number of representatives.  The guest country is responsible for the behavior of their representatives.  From experience, if a US dipomat gets a speeding ticket, the embassy gets a list of tickets given on their vehicles and we are held accountable (at least in the UK).  Diplomatic immunity would come into play when the guest country disagrees with the judgment given by the host country, at which time the host country would require the offender to leave.

Answer 3

don't know all the rammification but they are granted it and  US DEPT STATE honored by the host goverment   on a reciprocal basis  the   are immune  from prosecution however the host government can ask to have this lifted  if of serious matter

Answer 4

/ Government officials posted in foreign countries are immune from prosecution by those foreign countries.

The most which can happen, is either deport the official, or request permission of the foreign government to prosecute.

I would say the lightest example is a vehicle with diplomatic tags getting parking violation tickets which don't have to be paid.

I would say the heaviest example would be a diplomat who speeds and kills an innocent person, but is not liable under diplomatic immunity.