What is diplomatic immunity?
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal protection afforded under the 1961 Vienna Convention. It states that diplomats and family members are immune from prosecution in their host country, as long as they are not nationals of that country. However, their immunity can be waived by the country that employs them. Diplomats are obliged to respect the laws of their host country, but the provision can be misused as a ‘get out of jail free’ card.