Diplomatic Immunity Essay

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Diplomatic Immunity Jason Jones International Relations Diplomatic immunity is a principle of International Law that provides foreign diplomats with protection from legal action in the country in which they work. Established in large part in 1961 by the Vienna conventions, in late 1814, the Congress of Vienna convened for the purpose of straightening out national borders after the Napoleonic wars. Composed primarily of ambassadors from the major European powers, the group took time out from redrawing Europe's map to pass a resolution noting the strong protection that ambassadors were owed while in host countries. This vision would be formalized over a century later in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a UN-based conference and treaty to which the United States is a signatory, diplomatic immunity is granted to individuals depending on their rank and the amount of immunity they need to carry out their duties without legal harassment. Diplomatic immunity allows foreign representatives to work in host countries without fully understanding all the customs of that country. However, diplomats are still expected to respect and follow the laws and regulations of their host countries; immunity is not a license to commit crimes. The Vienna Convention classifies emissaries according to three types of assignment: embassy, consular, and international organization. The embassy is the primary diplomatic presence established by one country in another that it recognizes. The chief official of the embassy is the ambassador, who serves as his country's official representative to the host country. In the United States, several levels of immunity are granted: the higher the rank, the greater the immunity. Diplomatic agents and their immediate families have the most protection and are immune from criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits. The lowest level of
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