 | | 08-04-2004, 07:28 AM |
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| Saudi diplomat claims immunity in child sex case
reuters uk Quote:
LONDON (Reuters) - A London-based Saudi diplomat accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl is claiming diplomatic immunity and so avoiding further investigation, police say.
The Foreign Office said it has written to the Saudi ambassador, asking for the man's immunity to be waived.
"An allegation of indecent assault against an 11-year-old girl has been made but owing to diplomatic immunity we cannot take it any further at this stage," a Metropolitan Police spokesman said on Tuesday. "We can't pursue the investigation at all without the agreement of the country involved."
Newspapers reported the alleged assault took place last month at a party at the home of a diplomat working for another embassy.
The Saudi embassy said it was conducting an inquiry and had spoken to the diplomat involved and to the Metropolitan Police.
"If there is any justification, whatsoever, then the individual will be tried in his country under the Saudi judicial system," it said in a statement.
Saudi law gives judges considerable discretion and any punishment could range from flogging to imprisonment or the payment of compensation to the child's family.
Under the 1961 Vienna Convention, diplomats do not fall under the criminal jurisdiction of the country in which they are serving, although in the past some states have waived diplomatic immunity during British criminal investigations.
In 2003, for example, Colombia waived the immunity of a man accused of murder in Britain, although he was later cleared.
"Our preference is that alleged offences in the UK should be proved -- or disproved -- in the UK," said a Foreign Office spokesman. "We've requested diplomatic immunity be waived, but we've not yet had a formal response to our letter."
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