Two Nepalese women, working as maids in Gurgaon, India, were allegedly raped and sodomised repeatedly by their employer and potentiallyhis male friends. This came to light when a third woman, who was also working as a cook in the same household, reached out to Maiti, a local NGO, for help. Though two sets of medical examinations have revealed the brutal torture and inhuman atrocities that these women suffered, their employer is not being charged or arrested because he is a Saudi diplomat.
Under the 1961 Vienna Convention, foreign officials, their spouses, children and staff are protected from prosecution by their host country. Thus foreign diplomats can literally get away with murder, as well as escape prosecution for rape, sexual abuse, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, and indecent assault.
This case involving the two Nepali women came to light a week ago and the Indian police were hesitant to press charges claiming the diplomat has immunity and it is the embassy's responsibility, whilst the embassy officials have refuted all charges. This begs the question: where do the Nepali women go for justice? Do they not have rights on Indian soil and should their case not be heard and justice delivered?