Disgraced ambassador’s secret return – for party
A Kuwaiti ambassador who fled serious assault charges in New Zealand returned for 10 days and held a farewell party.
Police were powerless to act due to diplomatic immunity – legal protection that ensures diplomats can’t be prosecuted under a host country’s laws.
In August, the Sunday StarTimes revealed ambassador Ahmed Bader Razouqi had been accused of assaulting a woman in central Wellington in November 2015.
Official documents now reveal the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) tried unsuccessfully to get Kuwait to waive his immunity so police could charge Razouqi.
Razouqi’s return to New Zealand in April 2016 was confirmed in documents and emails released under the Official Information Act. Emails between MFAT, police and New Zealand diplomats in the Middle East show concern about the danger of the fiasco going public – a fear that was heightened when Malaysian diplomat Muhammad Rizalman bin Ismail was allowed to leave New Zealand despite being arrested for the attempted rape of a Wellington woman.
But Labour, in Opposition, had called for the public disclosure of attempts by foreign governments to spirit out misbehaving diplomats under the veil of diplomatic immunity.
And this weekend, new Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters reaffirmed that stance: ‘‘Diplomatic immunity is not anonymity,’’ he said.
The MFAT documents show Razouqi was already in Kuwait when New Zealand and Kuwaiti officials were arguing over his immunity. Prime Minister John Key was informed and Foreign Affairs Minister Gerry Brownlee offered to talk to Kuwaiti officials.
Razouqi’s return ‘‘to conclude his affairs’’ – requested on March 16, 2016 – was on the condition it was for no more than 10 days. ‘‘Any farewell functions ... will be informal and low-key,’’ an MFAT document stated.
The return also followed an assurance from Sergeant Marc May to MFAT that police would take no action against Razouqi.
The documents also show police believed the alleged November 2015 assault was ‘‘sufficiently serious to warrant prosecution’’. MFAT became involved soon after and set up a taskforce to manage it.
In the final days of awaiting Kuwait’s decision, MFAT protocol chief Joanna Kempkers emailed New Zealand diplomat Hamish MacMaster saying he should personally travel to Kuwait to receive the response.
The supplied talking points noted a refusal to waive the immunity would be a ‘‘disappointing outcome from New Zealand’s perspective as our strong preference is that those accused of a crime in New Zealand face justice in New Zealand’’.