Diplomatic immunity protects diplomats and certain international officials from local laws, sometimes allowing individuals to avoid prosecution for serious offenses.

Diplomatic immunity is a principle of international law ensuring that diplomats are not subject to the local laws of the host country. Established by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), its purpose is to allow diplomats to perform their duties without fear of harassment or retaliation. However, this protection has been controversially applied in cases ranging from minor traffic violations to serious crimes like assault or even murder. When a diplomat is accused of a crime, the host country can only request that the diplomat's home country waive immunity or recall the individual. If immunity is not waived, the individual may escape justice in the host country, although they could potentially face prosecution in their home country.