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India, US fight over Devyani Khobragade's immunity
Interesting, if depressing, to see India's take on this. Limiting the charges to visa fraud is IMO a Christmas present from the US, because this looks like a straight-up trafficking in persons case to me...
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-US-fight-over-Devyani-Khobragades-immunity/articleshow/27381613.cms
The diplomatic standoff with the US seemed to worsen on Saturday with the State Department declaring that the Indian diplomat, Devyani Khobragade, charged with visa fraud had no immunity under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR). India is looking upon this argument as a smokescreen created to obfuscate the issue.
It is learnt that India has conveyed to the US that the issue was not about immunity as much as it was about the violation of other norms laid out by the same Convention for treatment to consular officials faced with similar situations.
India has pointed to Article 41 (section 3) of VCCR (Personal Inviolability of Consular Officers) which clearly says that proceedings against a consular officer "shall be conducted with the respect due to him by reason of his official position". India has taken this up forcefully with the US saying that the action by law authorities was in complete violation of this Article and least expected from a friendly country.
...
The US has responded to summoning of its ambassador Nancy Powell here by declaring that she had no immunity under Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Like what happened earlier with another diplomat Neena Malhotra, who faced similar charges, the Indian government has no option but to make itself a party in the case as it was responsible for reimbursement of Khobragade's babysitter Sangeeta Richard's salary and other expenses. Khobragade is accused of not paying Richard $ 4,500 per month as required under the US laws. However, if all other perks Richard enjoyed were to be monetized, the salary discrepancy wouldn't seem as glaring.
It is learnt that India has conveyed to the US that the issue was not about immunity as much as it was about the violation of other norms laid out by the same Convention for treatment to consular officials faced with similar situations.
India has pointed to Article 41 (section 3) of VCCR (Personal Inviolability of Consular Officers) which clearly says that proceedings against a consular officer "shall be conducted with the respect due to him by reason of his official position". India has taken this up forcefully with the US saying that the action by law authorities was in complete violation of this Article and least expected from a friendly country.
...
The US has responded to summoning of its ambassador Nancy Powell here by declaring that she had no immunity under Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Like what happened earlier with another diplomat Neena Malhotra, who faced similar charges, the Indian government has no option but to make itself a party in the case as it was responsible for reimbursement of Khobragade's babysitter Sangeeta Richard's salary and other expenses. Khobragade is accused of not paying Richard $ 4,500 per month as required under the US laws. However, if all other perks Richard enjoyed were to be monetized, the salary discrepancy wouldn't seem as glaring.