The Ambassador of the country and certain high-ranking staff members enjoy ABSOLUTE immunity. There have been instances where a member of the high diplomatic staff of a foreign nation has been immune from charges of Homicide. In such cases these persons are never prosecuted but the US State Department will declare them Persona Non Grata, and they will be expelled from the US.
HOWEVER... so-called "diplomatic immunity" does NOT extend to ALL staff member of the foreign embassy. Only the very highest members of the delegation enjoy FULL immunity. Other, lesser members of the staff enjoy only limited immunity from prosecution.
The important thing to remember, is that US Diplomats enjoy the same privileges in their host countries as well.
Join us at Best Diplomats, where we empower young visionaries to become the diplomats of tomorrow.
(in the US) There are not many legal reasons for being immune from prosecution for criminal offenses. The chief, and probably most obvious, examples are the immunity that Ambassadors and certain members of the staffs of foreign embassies and governments, enjoy when on US soil. International Diplomatic Law grants total immunity from prosectuion to these certain individuals regardless of WHAT offense they commit.
If the question is, whether the President has diplomatic immunity, the answer is no. Diplomatic immunity is governed by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and applies to diplomats accredited to foreign countries while serving abroad (and vice versa). But the President has something equally good: head of state immunity. This protects him from prosecution in foreign countries for actions taken as President, and provides de facto but not de jure immunity from local laws. While head of state immunity has a long tradition in international law, it has been weakened in the post WWII era, when a "crime against humanity" jurisprudence has allowed prosecution against heads of state (such as former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic). Had Hitler been captured and stood trial at Nuremberg, head of state immunity would not have insulated him from prosecution for launching wars of aggression, persecution of minorities, and mass murder.Practically speaking, head of state immunity relates to the significance of the country in question. Great powers would not permit prosecution of their present or former heads of state in foreign tribunals. Only heads of state in small countries in which the regime has been overthrown or large countries which have been defeated in war need worry about prosecution. The erosion of head of state immunity in international law may be a contributing factor to explaining why some heads of state (like Bahar al-Sahad in Syria) cling to power--legally it would not be safe for them to do otherwise.The President of the US remains subject to the US Constitution and US law at all times (as President Nixon discovered in aftermath of the crimes associated with the Watergate break-in). Controversy has existed when US Presidents violated the War Powers Act (Clinton, possibly Obama), but since the federal courts will not adjudicate political questions, the only effective remedy is impeachment.
A diplomat traveling to the Philippines would have diplomatic immunity - your mail does not, and US soldiers (as well as parcels sent by US soldiers) are still subject to customs laws of a foreign country they travel to. That you're trying to find such a service makes what you're sending highly suspicious.
(in the US) The US recognizes the same diplomatic immunity for foreign officials as is accorded to the US by their nation. Although I'm sure the State Deparement may have statistics on this number, I am not aware of where this information may be found. Try calling the State Department Dept. Office of Public Affairs.
Certainly. US Supreme Court justices may be arrested under the same circumstances as any other person in the United States, except those who enjoy diplomatic immunity. This privilege extends to foreign diplomats, not to United States government officials (usually).
diplomats.
The US government is protected by "Sovereign Immunity". In 1946 Congress passed The Federal Tort Claims Act giving individual LIMITED right to sue the government.
their aides other diplomats and leaders The voices people For the US, the State department handles that sort of thing.
This depends on the meaning of "all". In general laws apply to every person with the exception of foreign diplomats who have "diplomatic immunity". This immunity precludes enforcement of criminal laws against such diplomats for crimes commited in this country. This is a necessary evil agreed upon by most every nation otherwise there would be a threat of criminal prosecution against a country's nationals in a place where they would have no protection. Consider the possibilty of trumped up charges against American diplomats in the old USSR during the Cold War. The same goes for diplomats from the USSR. In fact, each country's embassy grounds are considered "foreign soil" belonging to that government. The US can take no action against anything happening there. But, no government is allowed to let foreign diplomats commit crimes with impunity (or is that immunity, or both?). Whatever. The US can expel a diplomat for violation of its laws here, even though it cannot prosecute.
(in the US) The burden is placed on the prosecution.
Military. US Embassy/Diplomats US Investors US Contractors US Companies/Oil