‘Suppose, to take a not entirely theoretical example, a foreign state (not, I emphasise, the Defendant) sends two agents to the UK to kill a dissident opponent by poisoning him. The operation is planned abroad. The radioactive poison is made abroad. The operatives bring the poison into the UK from abroad. They meet with the dissident in a London hotel, poison his tea, and he dies. The foreign state’s responsibility is clearly established by the evidence. Can the dissident’s representatives sue the foreign state in the High Court for damages for his wrongful death ? Or is the responsible foreign state immune from civil proceedings by virtue of the State Immunity Act 1978 (SIA 1978) ?’
Judges:
Mr Justice Julian Knowles
Citations:
[2022] EWHC 2199 (QB)
Links:
Statutes:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Torts – Other, International
Updated: 24 August 2022; Ref: scu.680377
