ABSTRACT

On December 14, 1973, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a convention designed to prevent and punish crimes against diplomats. The International Law Commission expressed its belief that since the status of diplomats had been traditionally protected; a convention which focused on the diplomatic victim would be more successful than one which attempted to protect mankind in general from political violence. The concept on which the convention is based is that of deterrence: that is, the increased likelihood of punishment of those who commit crimes will lead terrorists to desist from acts of violence. The International Law Commission expressed a preference for limiting the right of asylum to political crimes and for determining that the crimes described in the draft articles were not political crimes per se. The draft articles applied only to those entitled to special protection under international law.