Legal Definitions - diplomatic law

Diplomatic law is a part of international law that deals with the rules and regulations related to diplomacy. It includes the rights and responsibilities of state representatives when they are in other countries. The main principles of diplomatic law are diplomatic immunity and sovereign immunity, which are some of the oldest customs in international law. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 has codified diplomatic law.

• When a foreign ambassador visits another country, they are protected by diplomatic immunity. This means that they cannot be arrested or prosecuted by the host country's authorities.
• If a diplomat commits a crime in the host country, they can be expelled from the country, but they cannot be arrested or prosecuted.
• Embassies and consulates are considered the territory of the sending state, and the host country cannot enter them without permission.

These examples illustrate the principles of diplomatic immunity and sovereign immunity. Diplomatic immunity protects diplomats from being arrested or prosecuted in the host country, while sovereign immunity protects the embassy or consulate from being entered by the host country's authorities without permission. These principles ensure that diplomats can carry out their duties without fear of harassment or interference from the host country.