Extraterritorial

Extraterritoriality refers to the legal status where individuals or property are exempt from the jurisdiction of the country in which they are physically located. This often applies to diplomats, consular officials, and sometimes, to the premises they occupy. It is a privilege or a right granted by international agreement or custom, ensuring protection from the host country's laws and courts. The concept aims to facilitate international relations and protect the functioning of diplomatic missions and other international entities. This can also include the right for a country to prosecute a person for a crime even if it happened outside its borders.

Extraterritorial meaning with examples

• Following the embassy bombing, the host nation attempted to arrest the suspected terrorists, but they invoked their extraterritorial rights, claiming diplomatic immunity. The situation created a diplomatic crisis, highlighting the complexities and tension embedded in these legal protections and the difficulties of bringing perpetrators to justice when this occurs.
• The international court's decision granted extraterritorial jurisdiction over the company's environmental practices, forcing them to comply with stricter regulations worldwide. This decision created debate on the extent to which national regulations can be imposed extraterritorially and the impact on multinational businesses.
• During the treaty negotiations, the granting of extraterritorial rights to traders and merchants became a point of contention, threatening to impede the deal. Disagreements surrounding customs duties and the enforcement of local laws, under the extraterritorial clause, threatened to delay its signing.
• The ship, owned by a foreign power, was engaged in illegal fishing within the coastal waters. However, due to a treaty granting it extraterritorial status, the local authorities were unable to board and inspect the vessel or impose fines or prison time upon them.