Diplomats' friend says Fairfax police ignored immunity

The Washington Times


November 6, 1993, Saturday, Final Edition

Diplomats' friend says Fairfax police ignored immunity

BYLINE: Maria Koklanaris; THE WASHINGTON TIMES

SECTION: Part A; METROPOLITAN TIMES; Pg. A10

LENGTH: 538 words

An American friend of the South African diplomatic couple arrested by Fairfax County police last month said yesterday that before they were arrested the diplomats informed police that they had diplomatic immunity.John R. Sodergreen, 31, of the 400 block of Warner Street SW in the District, was also arrested in the Oct. 16 incident outside the diplomats' Oakton home in the 2700 block of Sutton Woods Court. Mr. Sodergreen, an American citizen, was there with other guests at a small indoor party, he said.Mr. Sodergreen said the diplomats, 34-year-old Eckhart Piprek and his wife, Gerda, 31, showed two police officers identification cards proclaiming their status. Mr. Sodergreen said he also tried to persuade the officers not to make the arrest.



Instead of listening to him, he said, they arrested him, too. "Eckhart offered his [identification] card up," Mr. Sodergreen said. "He told them, 'I'm a diplomat. You can't do this. I've got immunity.' "Police charged the Pipreks and Mr. Sodergreen with public drunkenness, a misdemeanor, and charges have not been dropped. All three deny the charges.South African Ambassador Harry H. Schwarz formally complained to the State Department this week about the arrests. Mr. Schwarz maintains the charges are false and the arrests violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which protects diplomats from criminal prosecution in their host countries.The embassy is also outraged that the Pipreks spent nearly four hours in jail, a statement by Mr. Schwarz says.Fred DuVal, deputy chief of protocol at the State Department, said this week his agency will help the Embassy of South Africa in its quest to receive "a good-faith explanation" of the events.Fairfax police yesterday again said they are conducting an internal investigation of the two arresting officers' actions. They will likely be disciplined if the department finds they acted improperly, said Officer Richard Perez, a department spokesman.He could not say when police will conclude the investigation.At issue is when the officers learned the Pipreks had diplomatic immunity. Mr. Piprek is a first secretary at the embassy, and both he and his wife are listed in the State Department's Diplomatic List, a booklet containing the names of foreign officials with immunity from criminal prosecution.Police came to the Piprek home about 11:30 p.m., after neighbors complained about noise at an outdoor party. Mr. Sodergreen said they found Mrs. Piprek outside because she was walking two guests to their car.Police said Mrs. Piprek became "uncooperative" when they told her about the complaints. They said she refused to go back into the house and that she smelled of alcohol.Police said the same of Mr. Piprek, who intervened for his wife, and then of Mr. Sodergreen, who came out to inform police his friends are diplomats.Police arrested all three for public drunkenness and placed them in a police cruiser.Mr. Sodergreen said he joked with Mr. Piprek on the way to jail, telling him, "I thought this only happened in your country.