What is the difference between diplomatic immunity and extraterritoriality?
The terms diplomatic immunity and extraterritoriality are often confused, but they have different meanings in the context of international law. Diplomatic immunity means a person is exempt from the laws of a given country. Diplomats and their families, for instance, are intended to be protected for their personal safety and professional benefit under international law, meaning they do not have to abide by the same laws that other citizens do. This immunity is typically extended to members of the diplomatic staff, acts done by them in the exercise of their functions and their families, as well as to the premises of the mission and to the documents of the mission. Extraterritoriality, on the other hand, involves a country asserting its legal jurisdiction, or power to enforce laws, over a place beyond its normal boundaries. For example, the United States might have extraterritorial authority over military bases and other installations in a foreign country. Extraterritoriality involves a country claiming sovereignty and legal authority over a certain area, while diplomatic immunity exempts persons from certain laws in a foreign country.
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