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

by Yuliya Zabyelina

How do top-level public officials take advantage of immunity from foreign jurisdiction afforded to them by international law? How does this privilege 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. She examines 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. Zabyelina shows that, despite the potential of jurisdictional immunity to impede or delay justice, there are prominent instruments of external accountability to minimize the impunity of criminal political elites. Accessible and compelling, this book provides novel insights for readers interested in the close-knit bond between power, illicit wealth, and impunity.

289 pages, Hardcover

Published December 21, 2023