Sexual assault and indecent publicity are among the many crimes alleged to have been dedicated by individuals with diplomatic immunity final 12 months.
The Overseas Workplace has revealed that, in 2023, 9 critical and vital offences had been allegedly carried out by abroad officers who’re exempt from being prosecuted.
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A “serious offence” has been outlined as one thing that would carry a penalty of 12 months’ imprisonment or extra, in response to authorities minister Catherine West, who confirmed the info in a Written Ministerial Assertion.
Beneath diplomatic conventions enshrined in worldwide legislation, officers with a diplomatic service primarily based out of the country are granted numerous immunities. The extent to which they, or their members of the family, are immune from prosecution relies on how senior they’re.
In 2023, critical offences dedicated included: An Iraqi accused of possession or distribution of indecent photographs of kids; a Libyan accused of sexual assault; a Portuguese individual accused of indecent publicity and somebody from Singapore going through an accusation of kid cruelty or neglect.
A Fijian and a Pakistani had been additionally accused of driving with out insurance coverage; whereas diplomats from Ghana, Libya and Mongolia had 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 legislation.
“The number of alleged serious offences committed by members of the diplomatic community in the UK is proportionately low.”
She stated the Overseas Workplace “does not tolerate foreign diplomats or dependants breaking the law” and when crimes are delivered to their consideration, “we ask the relevant foreign government or international organisation to waive immunity, where appropriate, to facilitate further investigation”.
“For the most serious offences, and when a relevant waiver has not been granted, we request the immediate withdrawal of the diplomat or dependant.”
Among the many overseas 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 needed her returned to face trial however the US state division resisted. Ultimately, 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 top of September 2024.
The US owed £15m of that whole, whereas Japan owed £10m and China £9m.
Ms West stated: “Officials have regular contact with diplomatic missions and international organisations in the UK about outstanding national non-domestic rates (NNDR) payments, outstanding parking fine debt and unpaid London congestion charge debt, to press for payment of outstanding debt and fines.”
