UN library's most-checked-out book in 2015 will leave you stunned

UN tweets 'Immunity of Heads of State and State Officials for International Crimes' was most-checked-out book in...

The Dag Hammarskjöld Library at the United Nations recently tweeted its 2015 publication that got checked out the most, revealing that the book is about how diplomats can get away with crimes abroad.

https://twitter.com/UNLibrary/status/682550730717290496

Unsettlingly, the UN is full of representatives representing dreadful dictatorships. The book, called Immunity of Heads of State and State Officials for International Crimes, in question is a doctoral thesis from the University of Lucerne by Ramona Pedretti which pursues the question of when heads of state and other government officials can be charged in foreign courts.

Pedretti explains the two forms of immunity in the international law, which heads of state can benefit from. She concludes that sitting heads of state cannot be charged and prosecuted by a foreign court, but previous leaders can.

While some Twitter users questioned if this was a joke many found it disconcerting.

@UNLibrary UN bodies most popular library read of 2015? 'How to get away with International Crimes if you're a Head of State'

— 0xSafu (@0x0Safu) January 7, 2016

https://twitter.com/ZachMoring1/status/684878203530285057

https://twitter.com/JakeWKim/status/684798188230946816

https://twitter.com/KM4JOJ/status/684800849864978433

.@UNLibrary insane. but I guess it could have been Fifty Shades of Grey. so a wash?

— the.effing.librarian (@effinglibrarian) January 6, 2016

https://twitter.com/Kenjamin12/status/684836021155016704

@UNLibrary That's disgraceful... Hopefully the ICC will be able to stop any avoidance of law and justice, UN members should support that.

— Filip L. Firlej (@London_Film) January 7, 2016