Between Immunity and Impunity External Accountability of Political Elites for Transnational Crime

How do top-level public officials take advantage of immunity from foreign jurisdiction afforded to them by international law? How does the immunity entitlement allow them to thwart investigations and trial proceedings in foreign courts? What responses exist to prevent and punish such conduct? In Between Immunity and Impunity, Yuliya Zabyelina unravels the intricate layers of impunity of political elites complicit in transnational crimes. By examining cases of trafficking in persons and drugs, corruption, and money laundering that implicate heads of state and of government, ministers, diplomats, and international civil servants, she shows that, despite the potential of international law immunity to impede or delay justice, there are prominent instruments of external accountability. Accessible and compelling, this book provides novel insights for readers interested in the close-knit bond between power, illicit wealth, and impunity.

Introduction. Never Go to Jail?; 1. The Immunities of public officials under international law; 2. The immunity challenge in cases of the labor trafficking of diplomatic household workers; 3. Immunity from foreign jurisdiction as a gateway to transnational corruption and money laundering; 4. The triumphs and trials of public officials embroiled in drug trafficking; General conclusions; Index.

Yuliya Zabyelina, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Alabama.