Why is diplomatic immunity even a thing? Why was this particular job decided to be above the law?
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The concept is to protect diplomats from being basically blackmailed, taken hostage or used as pawns.
Imagine you are a US diplomat to say, Russia. If diplomatic immunity didn’t exist, the minute relations turned sour (like say a war in Ukraine), you may get pulled over for speeding or whatever made up reason and they could plant drugs in your car, or accuse you of a made up crime, etc.
The end goal would be to basically take you as a hostage and use you as a pawn for political purposes.
In ancient times, diplomats were more so traveling messengers. Diplomatic immunity was to protect them from being killed or assaulted just because the ruler didn’t like the message they had to deliver.
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